Whisky: Port Charlotte 17 Year (2002), The Cask Whisperer

Country/Region: Scotland/Islay

ABV: 52.3%

Cask: Wine Cask

Age: 17 Years (Distilled 2002, Bottled 2020)

Nose: Bacon, pancake syrup, clean linens, sea breeze, beach florals, charred driftwood, pipe tobacco, mellow earth with a mild barn funk, subtle sesame paste and nuttiness.

Palate: Medium-bodied, subtle berries and spice, mineral and earth, brine, ginger root, driftwood, dried palm fronds, subtle tobacco smoke.

Finish: Medium to long with earth, ginger, and a soft brine.

Score: 7-8

Mental Image: Driftwood Collecting on the Dunes

Narrative & Notes: The aroma spoke to breakfast on the beach with meaty bacon, sweet maple syrup, a salty sea breeze, charred driftwood, and soft beach florals— Morning Glories and Naupaka— which occasionally combined with cotton and clean linen notes. Mellow soft layers of pipe tobacco, earth, chestnuts, and roasted sesame seed paste drifted in the background with a subtle farmy funk. Medium-bodied and slightly oily, the flavor profile was earthy, coastal, and slightly spicy, with a lovely layer of ginger root linking everything together. Subtle dried berries and peppercorns emerged with minerals, sandstone, and salt ocean surf. The maritime brine was soft, especially as it gave way to charred driftwood, peppercorn, dried palm fronds, and a subtle pipe tobacco smoke. The finish was medium to long with earth, ginger, and a soft brine.

I would love to know what kind of wine cask was used here as it felt very subtle, though I imagine that it played a role in elevating some of the latent earthiness of the malt. This was a relatively calm affair for Port Charlotte, and, unlike some of the other releases from the Cask Whisperer, there was only a hint of funk on the nose.

As I understand it, the Cask Whisperer is one of several partners working with Jim McEwan to release the private stash of casks he held from his time at Bruichladdich. This was one of the tamer of his personal wine cask maturations that I have encountered. It reminded me to some extent of the Port Charlotte he released with Dramfool in their Journey’s End trilogy. Though this did not quite hit the heights of that whisky (I gave it a 10), this was still quite enjoyable.

Overall, a lovely beachy-earthy Port Charlotte that showcased some of my favorite elements to find in an older Port Charlotte. I wish more of the farmy, grassy-earthy funk of Port Charlotte emerged on the palate and the mouthfeel was thicker or a bit heavier. I hoped that a few drops of water might uncover some additional complexity, and while the mouthfeel did become more balanced, the flavors remained relatively unchanged. All that said, this was my favorite of the Port Charlotte releases from The Cask Whisperer.