Whisky: Mannochmore 12 Year (2008), James Eadie Cask 354555

Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside

ABV: 53.6%

Cask: First Fill European Oak Sherry Finish

Age: 12 years (Distilled 18 July 2008, Bottled 2020)

Nose: Stewed fruits, cinnamon candies, caramel, gingerbread, cloves, hints of coffee and lacquered wood, more red apple with time.

Palate:  Medium-bodied, oily, apple, pear, cinnamon, treacle, hints of licorice, orange peel, more apple and caramel.

Finish: Medium to long with syrupy fruits and hints of cigar box.

Score: 5-6

Mental Image: Homemade Holiday Treats

Narrative & Notes: The aroma was heavy and slightly closed off with a wine-heavy bouquet of stewed fruits and caramel. Spices lurked further in, giving the fruits a lovely richness with hot cinnamon candies, clove and nutmeg spiced gingerbread, and a subtle dark roasted coffee. Lacquered wood appeared with hints of musty leather as more and more red apples arrived. Medium-bodied and oily, the flavor profile was sharply sweet with cinnamon-poached pears and apples, gooey treacle, and a raspberry coulis. Hints of licorice and star anise appeared between orange curd, caramel, and cinnamon apple jelly. The finish was medium to long with sweet syrupy fruits and hints of cigar box.

After I reviewed an absolutely fantastic Mannochmore over the holidays, I felt determined to try more. I have had a sample of this bottle for a couple of years now, and it has languished near the back of my whisky queue nearly the whole time. It came my way in a batch with a few other James Eadie malts that had similar pungent cask maturations and finishes; not typically my style of whisky. After I tried a few, the Mannochmore was largely forgotten.

To be fair to past me, this was, in fact, not my style. The aggressive cask obliterated most of the distillery character— which, if you love sweet sherry maturations or finishes, is not entirely a bad thing. I found the flavor profile saccharine and simple but fairly well-balanced against an aggressively holiday spice.

Overall, a dram for the sherry motivated and those who prefer their whisky on the sweet side.