Peaty whisky matures only in 1rst fill sherry casks?

[Mickeman]

Hi!

I’m looking for peaty single malts matured only in 1rst fill sherry casks.

Tips on bottlings would be much appreciated.

Also looking for whisky book that describes in detail the maturation process of whisky. Especially interested in if there is any difference in the maturation process for ex bourbon and ex sherry casks and the process called "rancio".

[bamber]

Reasonable price: The latest Ardbeg from the SMWS

Bowmore: 1964, 35yo OB
Ardbeg: loads of IB's and OB'S distilled in the mid 1970's - the whisky exchange has them. Hope you are rich !

[Frodo]

What's rancio?

[kallaskander]

Hi there,

about rancio:

" You've opened a can of worms!

Years ago I tasted the 40-year-old Bowmore which bore a flavor that I couldn't identify. On the way home with fellow spirits freak, Paul Pacult, I discovered that he'd had the same problem. "Suppose it was rancio?" I suggested. Rancio is a flavor found in old cognacs, best described as earthy, mushroomy, lactic, and perhaps a hint of soy sauce. Cognac producers treasure this flavor when it occurs.

Paul & I decided that the only way to find out if rancio could exist in old single malts was to get as many old malts as possible and taste them. We approached the Rainbow Room in NY and suggested that we hold a tasting of the world's oldest malts there. They agreed so we then went to the scotch producers and asked them to go to the back of their warehouses and send us samples of the oldest drinkable malts they had. We ended up with 3 bottles from each of 13 distilleries.

Sure enough, we found rancio in more than half of them. The J&B guy was right (though not in every case)--the spirit had transformed, and in some cases it was impossible to tell it apart from a cognac, or even a very old rum.

As final proof of this, some years later I heard that a cognac producer had analized his brady to discover what was responsible for the flavor of rancio, and he pinned it down to 2 specific ketones. I asked him if he'd be willing to analize a scotch in the same way if I provided the whisky. Sure enough, thos ketones were present in the scotch.

Why are they there? How do they get there? It's just a case of advanced oxidization.

Some people hate rancio in scotch. I love it."

Source: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=39489

Greetings
kallaskander

[Frodo]

Thanks. Much apprietiated.

[kallaskander]

Hi there,

you´re welcome.

Greetings
Kllaskander

[Lawrence]

I’m looking for peaty single malts matured only in 1rst fill sherry casks.

I echo Bamber's comment, the SMWS is your best bet.

[Admiral]

Careful lads....don't forget that different SMWS branches get different bottlings .

The latest Ardbeg for the Australian SMWS branch is from a re-fill sherry gorda, not a first fill.

Cheers,
Admiral

[bamber]

Have you tried it Admiral ?

[Admiral]

Indeed I have, sir!

A delicious drop, and a remarkable contrast to the Ardbeg Very Young which is, of course, the same age, but a completely different flavour profile.

Cheers,
Admiral

[bamber]

I think your one sounds better I found ours too sherried.

[Admiral]

Was it a six year old? Which Cask Number?

Ours was 33.57

Cheers,
Admiral

[bamber]

Ours is 33.57. Is it the same one ? Ours: 6yo 56.2% Distilled - May 1998 Outturn - 779

Looks like I got it wrong.

[Deactivated Member]

Bamber - I didn't find ours too sherried. I did find, though, that the nose was brilliant, as was the first sip. But the finish was so long and so strong that each subsequent sip added little extra flavour - almost as though I was sipping water. I thought it was a remarkable whisky with many dimensions - sadly a rare trait in heavily peated whiskies. I adored the smoky bacon aroma.

[bamber]

Nick,
I remember you saying how much you liked it. I chatted to the barman about how people responded to it and apparently, there was a real mixed response, with many people loving it. Personally I felt it needed a bit of water and when I added some the mildly sulphorous edge from the sherry was exacerbated to some extent.

Maybe it's just because I'm a pig loving vegetarian

[Deactivated Member]

I love pigs too - especially in sossiges.

[Lawrence]

Our Club has two unopened bottles of SMWS 33.50 (10 years old), has anybody tried it?

Maybe it's just because I'm a pig loving vegetarian

LOL

[Mickeman]

Been in contact with SMWS.


I need to be a member to purchase bottlings from them.
The reason I dont want to be a member is that a live a long way from their closest headquaters and wont be able to go to their pub to sample bottlings or attend any of their tastings.

/

[bamber]

I think you're looking at an expensive bottling then.

(link removed as ruining look of page !)

[Mickeman]

Well it doent have to be a old or expensive bottling.

I notised that Gordon & Macphail has a Caol Ila 1993 Cask Strength from first fill sherry casks.

Anyone that have tasted this or found taste notes and where to purchase online?

[Admiral]

Ours is 33.57. Is it the same one ?

Hi Bamber,

Yes, it will be the same one.....the Society gives each cask a unique number once only, so we're talking about the same whisky. The Society gave it the name "Black Pudding & Stornaway" or something like that. (Can't remember the precise words).

We also received a small number of Cask 33.56. Whilst I haven't tasted that one yet, one of my colleagues has, and he thought it was an amazing Ardbeg. I suspect it must be similar to the Ardbeg Very Young - refined yet brutal at the same time!

Cheers,
Admiral

[bamber]

Hi Admiral,
I think I had some of the 33.56 in the society bar in Edinburgh, earlier this year. Amazing whisky but none for sale unfortunately.

Mickeman,
Forgot about Caol Ila . The whisky exchange has some sherried ones. Not the one you mention, however.

[Tom]

Mickeman,
It is often very hard to determine wether or not the Ardbeg has matured in first or second fill casks. Mainly because these are bottlings from Independents. I had a few heavely sherried Ardbegs but I honestly cannot tell you if it was first or second fill.
Could you let us know if "heavely sherried" is good enough too or is it specificly FF sherry you need?

Kallaskander, Could you please either start a new thread or mail me personally with all the info you have on this "cognac" taste?
I am very interested in the matter since I have had some similar flavor experiences with older malts.I had no idea this excisted and am intruiged by it. Thank you very much.

[Mickeman]

"heavely sherried" is enought.


I have found two bottlings already:


Ardbeg 1993 Spirit of Scotland by Gordon & Macphail CS shery butt
Ardbeg 1996 Spirit of Scotland by Gordon & Macphail CS shery butt

Anyone tested these?

[corbuso]

Bowmore is now doing only 1st fill cask, so all the sherried bowmore should suit your wish.

Ardbeg has also some very fine sherry casks, but mainly from 2nd and more refill casks, same for Highland Park.

Laphroaig don't use anymore sherry casks, like Lagavulin, so your choice is getting pretty limited!

Pat

[Deactivated Member]

I tried the Poit Dhubh 12yo vatted malt at the Whisky Fringe. That is healthily peaty but balanced by strong sherry notes - it was very nice (I bought a bottle) but I couldn't vouch for how the whisky was created, though.