Whisky: Blended Malt 18 Year (2001), Whiskybase Celebrates 140,000 Bottles

Country/Region: Scotland/Blended Malt

ABV: 46.6%

Cask: Sherry Butt

Age: 18 Years (Distilled 30 Aug. 2001, Bottled 27 Nov. 2019)

Nose: Dried fruits, cassis jam, dark chocolate, rich cacao with hints of white chocolate and raspberry, oak and leather in the background.

Palate: Medium-bodied, balanced, dark chocolate, tingling spice, oak, tobacco, subtle fruits, leather and coffee at the end.

Finish: Medium-length and slightly drying with roasted cacao pods and dried fruit.

Score: 7

Mental Image: Cake Shop Barista Training

Narrative & Notes: The sherry influence of the cask was evident from the outset with pleasant dried fruits: apricots, berries, and plums, alongside cassis jam and a raspberry coulis. Lovely dark chocolate enveloped the fruits with rich cacao and subtle hints of white chocolate and nutmeg. Further in the background, leather lingered with stained and lacquered wood. Medium-bodied and balanced, on the palate were roasted cacao pods, dark chocolate, chicory, nutmeg, and oak. Tobacco leaf gathered strength on the mid-palate with hints of cassis jam and pomegranate seeds with an almost savory leather lingering toward the end with dark roasted coffee. The finish was medium-length and slightly drying with roasted cacao pods and dried fruit.

A lovely blend of Edrington malts, or so the internet scuttlebutt says, and that sounds about right. While this was obviously a sherried affair, the structure of the notes and the balanced mouthfeel made for an above-average experience. I rarely score sherry-driven profiles highly; it is not a style I particularly love, but the prominence of the dark chocolate notes, which often gave the whisky a savory edge, appealed to my palate. This was never in danger of being overly saccharine, and, while it was not terribly complex, it was well executed.

Overall, a celebratory bottle and a well-balanced blended malt.

Image Credit: Whisky Auctioneer