Edradour 12yo Oloroso Batch #7

Edradour 12yo Oloroso Batch #7

Official bottling
Single malt - Lowlands
Dark amber red 
59% ABV
Dram

Nose: Milk chocolate, cream, vanilla, raisins, strawberry jam, honey, hints of black pepper. With water, milk chocolate, honey, vanilla, raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, volatile, loosens, hot. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Milk chocolate, cream, vanilla, raisins, black tea, brown paper, hints of toast, hints of charcoal ash. With water, milk chocolate, honey, vanilla, raisins. 
Finish: Medium. Cream, raisins, black tea, toast. 

Comments: 

Rich and luscious, lots of chocolate and vanilla notes. There’s also plenty of dried fruit and a hint of sootiness. A very good whisky indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Ballechin 11yo 2008/2019

Ballechin 11yo 2008/2019

Ultimate Cask Strength, Van Wees
Single malt - Lowlands
Dark amber
59.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Brown paper, raisins, butterscotch, cloves, cinnamon, mint. With water, smoke, camphor, raisins, peat. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Leather, raisins, butterscotch, autumn leaves, smoke, petrichor, cinnamon, mint. With water, smoke, peat, raisins, orange peel. 
Finish: Long. Petrichor, coffee, peat, smoke, autumn leaves. 

Comments: 

Cask 219. Earthy and sweet. The characteristic Edradour mint cake note is subdued and buried under a layer of peaty smoke. It’s gentle, not dirty, and it enhances the sweet notes. Quite delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Edradour 10yo Equinox & Solstice Spring Edition

Edradour 10yo Equinox & Solstice Spring Edition 

Equinox & Solstice, Decadent Drinks
Single malt - Central Highlands 
Sunshine yellow
48.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, honeycomb, pear drops, apple juice, hazelnuts, lemon sherbet, hints of sandalwood, hints of brass polish. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, syrupy, slightly oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Apple juice, stale beer, honeycomb, dried apricots, fresh baked bread, barley sugar, clotted cream, hints of lemon sherbet. 
Finish: Medium. Hazelnuts, barley sugar, clotted cream, lemon sherbet, hints of dried apricots. 

Comments: 

A vatting of two casks, one distilled in 2003 and the other in 2010. This whisky lacks the Kendal mint cake notes that I like Edradour for, but it’s fruity and intense. Lots of dried fruit, and citrusy lemon sherbet. Very nice indeed. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Edradour 10yo 2009/2019

Edradour 10yo 2009/2019

Unchillfiltered, Signatory
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, petrol exhaust, bitter orange, burnt toffee, butterscotch. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, tingly, loosens slightly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Bitter orange, petrol exhaust, salt caramel, lemon zest, hints of marmalade. 
Finish: Short. Black tea, raisins, bitter orange, hints of burnt toffee. 

Comments: 

An official indie - Signatory, of course, owns Edradour. This whisky is sweet and mellow, with deliciously jammy citrus. However it's a bit odd - there are notes of petrol exhaust on the nose and tongue, reminiscent of a young Springbank. Thanks Andrea for the sample.

Verdict:

I like this.

Edradour 6 yo 2003/2010 Burgundy Cask Matured

Edradour 6 yo 2003/2010 Burgundy Cask Matured

Official bottling
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber red
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red grapes, black tea, dark chocolate, mint, cherries, hints of strawberries. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, sticky, thick, rolls on the tongue. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Red grapes, dark chocolate, cherry liqueur, mint, vanilla, cookie dough, strawberries. 
Finish: Long. Red grapes, black tea, leather, mint. 

Comments: 

Batch One, apparently. A lot of the Edradour special cask releases have been pilloried for using wood to mask less than good spirit, but I'm pleased to report that this one is alright. Cherry liqueur notes vie with dark chocolate and red grapes in this, a good sherry (er, burgundy) bomb. The minty character of Edradour is not much in evidence though, it's a gentle whisky that gets lost in so much wood flavouring.

Verdict:

I like this.

Edradour 12 yo 2000/2012 Chardonnay Cask

Edradour 12 yo 2000/2012 Chardonnay Cask

Official bottling 
Single malt - Central Highlands
Straw
56.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red grapes, mint, white grapes, apricots, lemons, hints of sandalwood, hints of honey. With water, mint, dark chocolate, more honey.
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, loose, turns watery.
Tasting: Sour. Sandalwood, mint, pine nuts, white grapes, honey, lemons, hints of figs, hints of balsamic vinegar. With water, sweeter, more honey, dark chocolate, apricots.
Finish: Medium. White grapes, honey, lemons, figs, hints of chocolate.

Comments:

Perhaps the maturation clashes with the spirit a little bit, perhaps it's my own preconceptions (I always associate Edradour with mint and chocolate), but I think this one is less good than it could be. There's a little bit of a cloying sweetness on the nose when neat, which makes it hard to discern the underlying notes. Once water is added though, this disappears, and the familiar Edradour aromas of chocolate and spiky little minty notes appear.

Verdict:

I like this.

Edradour 11 yo 1997/2008

Edradour 11 yo 1997/2008

Signatory Vintage, Signatory
Single malt - Central Highlands
Copper
43% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Chocolate, mint, raisins, cream, butter, black pepper, oak, hints of plums, hints of cherries.
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, watery, tingly.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Cream, chocolate, mint, raisins, prunes, oak, chillies, hints of brine, hints of dried apricots.
Finish: Short. Walnut skins, brine, chocolate, oak, mint, brown paper.

Comments:

Cask #561 - an unofficial official bottling, as Signatory owns Edradour. Mint and chocolate - very easy to recognise where it was distilled. The finish is bitter, and salty, but still quite complex. The sherry butt did a good job here, enhancing the sweet elements while softening some of the harsh edges.

Verdict:

I like this.

Edradour 12 yo Dougie Maclean's Caledonia Selection

Edradour 12 yo Dougie Maclean's Caledonia Selection

Official bottling
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber
46% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Raisins, brown paper, chocolate, mint, camphor, oranges, cinnamon, hints of cedar.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, thickens, tingly.
Tasting: Bitter sour. Raisins, brown paper, mint, lemons, grapefruit, vanilla, hints of lavender.
Finish: Long. Vanilla, lemons, mint, raisins.

Comments:

A new series from Edradour. The cask was selected by musician Dougie Maclean. He's got good taste - the whisky is heavier than I expected from an Edradour, with lashings of chocolate and mint in the nose. This disappears on the palate, becoming more citrusy and minty, even slightly chemical. Brilliant.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Edradour 30 yo 1973/2003

Edradour 30 yo 1973/2003

Official bottling
Single malt - Central Highlands
Gold
53.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Butter, custard, raisins, oranges, sherry, marmalade, hints of violets, hints of chocolate.
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens fast, slightly syrupy, smooth.
Tasting: Sweet. Marmalade, rose, grass, sherry, condensed milk, hints of violets.
Finish: Long. Cedar, rose, marmalade, mint.

Comments:

Butt #97, bottle #346 of 539. Andrew Symington, the current owner of the distillery, found and bought back 3 casks of 30 yo Edradour from an independent bottler. This is one of the resulting bottles. Very light, classic Edradour mint and grass, allied to a thick layer of sweet fruit. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Edradour 10 yo

Edradour 10 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Central Highlands
Straw
40% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Chocolate covered raisins, minty Kendal cake, hint of coffee, blackcurrant underneath.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slightly syrupy.
Tasting: Sour. Tangy, lemon, mint, grassy.
Finish: Short. Raisins, blackcurrant, dark chocolate.

Comments:

Oddly refreshing - it's like having a mint and a lemon sweet together. The whisky freshens the mouth, despite not being as light as say a Lowlands would be. Quite happy with this, and I wish the independent bottlings were cheaper.

Verdict:

I like this.