Whisky: Blair Athol 13 Year (2006), Adelphi Cask 2649

Country/Region: Scotland/Highland

ABV: 52.4%

Cask: First Fill Sherry

Age: 13 Years (Distilled 2006, Bottled 2020)

Nose: Stewed plums and fruits with cinnamon and anise, a lovely ribbon of balsamic with toasted nuts, caramel and honey promised sticky sweets.

Palate: Medium-bodied and oily, big sherried fruits and caramel with hints of musty leather and tangy balsamic, lingering woody tannins toward the end; surprisingly balanced on the palate, a kiss of pepper popped amongst honeyed and sweet fruity syrups.

Finish: Medium-length and slightly drying with stewed plums, baking spices, and lacquered wood.

Score: 6 (79)

Mental Image: Sherry Monster Family Photos

Narrative & Notes: This was a pretty typical sherry bomb, so no deep thoughts from me.  Water brought out more depth to the fruit, breaking the big stewed plums into something more like a tangy sangria with slices of bitter and blood oranges amongst berries and light summery wine. I liked that version of the whisky a bit more and concluded this would have been a great candidate for bottling at a lower strength.

These big sherry bombs are a bit like the young, brash, heavily peated malts—the floor tends to be relatively high, but once the flavors all start to feel the same, it can be difficult for them to rise above competently average. There is a lot to love about the fact that you can grab a big rich sherry bomb or feisty peat and know that it is almost guaranteed to be on the upper end of average and more likely to cross the line into something good than a total disaster.

Overall, one for the sherry fiends— there was little distillery character without drowning the whisky in water. Sure to please fans of the style, especially the balanced and oily mouthfeel.

Image Credit: Whiskybase