Like Sherried Whiskies => Like Sherry ?

by **bamber** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 7:37 pm

* Off Topic *

Over the last couple of years I've tried some sherries after a cosy night in with some Macallan or such like.

I've never really enjoyed them, but I bought one today: Gonzales Byass Matusalem 30yo (Oloroso Dulce).

It was £ 11.99 (35 cl), from Somerfield and is really delicious, rich and powerful, with dried fruits an loads of wood.

I'm going to try vatting it with some sherried malts after my curry tonight

Anyway I feel it is a real bargain for something so old and tasty ....

Anyone else tried it ?

by **Crispy Critter** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 6:37 am

I'm going to have to try some sherry sometime - I certainly like sherried whiskies like the Glendronach 15 I had last year, or the various A'Bunadh batches I've tried.

How well does it keep once the bottle is opened?

by **bamber** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 10:37 am

I don't know - I was wondering about that.

I tried vatting some with some 'Laddie 10yo as it is sweet and relatively simple. It worked pretty well. Have to say both were better on their own though !

by **Aidan** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 12:09 pm

While I don't know a huge amount about it, I love port. I was over in Lisbon recently and tried a lot of it in a kind of institute of port. One of the nicest afternoons I've had in a long time.

by **Deactivated Member** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 9:10 pm

A general note about "Sherried" malts:

In February I had the opportunity to try one of the Bruichladdich 1986 Sherry bottlings. This was distilled 1986, bottled 2006 and was specially brought to Munich for the Whisky Festival by Jim McEwan.

What a surprising dram!
Wonderful, but not like any Laddie I have previously tasted.

by **Deactivated Member** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 10:00 pm

Bruichladdich is a good distillery to check out such influences, because they do so many bottlings. I've had some heavily sherried 'Laddies that were marvelous, and some others that were not.

Sherry, of course, can range from bone dry to syrupy sweet. I don't care for the stuff generally, but a thick, raisiny Pedro Ximenez is a treat once in a while.

by **Paul A Jellis** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 11:58 pm

I like my sherry like I like my weather - dry! My whisky I prefer wet.

Nair the twain shall meet.

Cheers

Paul

by **Admiral** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 12:00 am

I adore sherried whiskies, but I can't say I enjoy sherry much.

Good Pedro Ximinez is enjoyable as a liqueur, but the standard finos, amontillados and olorosos don't do much for me at all.

Cheers,
Admiral

by **karlejnar** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 12:23 am

WhiskyHammer wrote:A general note about "Sherried" malts:

In February I had the opportunity to try one of the Bruichladdich 1986 Sherry bottlings. This was distilled 1986, bottled 2006 and was specially brought to Munich for the Whisky Festival by Jim McEwan.

What a surprising dram!
Wonderful, but not like any Laddie I have previously tasted.

It seems like they laid down a number of great Oloroso casks of 'Laddie' in 1986.

Two other great one's of that "vintage":
The "Country Life" bottling 15 yo 46% Distilled: 1986 Bottled: sep-2001 #511 of 800 from Oloroso sherry-butt no. 356. Got that one on a visit there in 2002. Long gone but a great sherried 'Laddie' it was

The "Barraille" 18 yo 54.4% Distilled: 05.02.1986 Bottled 2004 #406 of 500, Fresh sherry cask. For cask owners only. Another great one.

Normally I prefer the purely bourbon matured 'Laddie's' - but when in the mood for a sherried whisky those are very fine examples indeed

by **Deactivated Member** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 1:26 am

One of the sherried 'Laddies I had was a MMcD '86 from a refill sherry cask. It might have been the darkest whisky I've ever had, amazing for a refill cask (and MMcD don't color). Marvelous, complex, intense dram. Wish I could HTH it with a'bunadh, just for comparison. A Valinch I had from '89 was quite similar. The Cairdean bottling was not as good, based on the one dram I had. Generally, I would agree that bourbon casked 'Laddies are best, at least for appreciating the whisky's natural qualities. But some of those sherried ones are indeed crackers.

by **Lawrence** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 2:54 am

I've boosted some home vattings with some PX sherry, it really improved the color :wink:

and gave the whisky some added depth. However I like PX on vanilla ice cream, really nice.

All whisky drinkers should buy a couple of bottles a year to support the sherry/whisky industry.

by **irishwhiskeychaser** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 12:17 pm

Can't say I like sherry either but I love sherried Whiskey. Maybe because of the sharpness of the whiskey in conjuction with the sherry? I just find sherry too sweet... even Dry sherry

by **Mr Fjeld** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 6:05 pm

I'm not overly fond of sweet sherry but I love dry fino-style sherry. Especially nice with food that otherwise doesn't "go" with other wines. I've found that I do like a little sherry character in the whisky but lately I've discovered that it can be too much also. There's something about the Glengoyne 12 Cask Strength that makes me think they're drowning the distillery character in "sherry wood" .

Christian

by **Deactivated Member** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 6:12 pm

Hi Christian,
not quite a "Sherry" finish, but if you like a drier taste have you managed to try the Glenmorangie 1981, bottled 2002, Sauternes Wood Finish?

I had the pleasure of tasting this during last year and was surprised just how dry it was.

Regards,
WH

by **Mr Fjeld** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 6:37 pm

Thanks for the suggestion Whiskyhammer!
It's funny isn't it that whisky finished or matured in a cask previously containing sweet wine like a Sauternes or a sweet sherry can be dry.
My much cherished and now empty Glenfarclas twelve was very strange as it was both sweet and dry! I wonder how and why? A lovely whisky by the way!

Christian

by **Deactivated Member** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 6:51 pm

Funnily enough, I really haven't tried very much Glenfarclas.
I must get round to some soon.

WH

by **Lawrence** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 7:18 pm

My much cherished and now empty Glenfarclas twelve was very strange as it was both sweet and dry! I wonder how and why?

The cask influence, oak from the cask, dryness and sweetness from the sherry, both additives from the cask rather than extractives.

And yes, a very lovely whisky.

by **Mr Fjeld** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 7:23 pm

Lawrence wrote:
My much cherished and now empty Glenfarclas twelve was very strange as it was both sweet and dry! I wonder how and why?

The cask influence, oak from the cask, dryness and sweetness from the sherry, both additives from the cask rather than extractives.

And yes, a very lovely whisky.

Thanks for the explanation Lawrence - I think I'm gunning for the 105 next time. Is it somewhat similar in flavour?

Christian

by **Lawrence** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 11:33 pm

It's been a while since I've had the 105 but I think I remember them to be different although I think the 105 is head and shoulders above the Macallan CS.

by **Admiral** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 2:47 am

I tried the 105 recently, and I found the sherry influence to be much more obvious than in the 12yo. I suspect the 105 has a much higher percentage of first-fill oloroso casks in the vatting, whereas the 12yo either has more re-fills, or has used more ex-fino or amontillado casks.

Cheers,
Admiral

by **Sherried Malt** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 3:05 am

Admiral, so given your fondness for sherried whiskies, which of the two did you prefer?

Or does the Glenfarclas 15 top either or both?

by **Admiral** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 3:22 am

On reflection, I would choose the 105 over the 12 year old, chiefly because it has more in-your-face flavour, but also possibly due to the fact that I am increasingly consuming and enjoying more cask-strength malts these days.

However, you are ultimately correct.....I would pick the 15 year old as my preferred dram of the three.

Cheers,
Admiral