What type of Sherry?

[ScotchPalate]

Hi There,
Is there a specific type of Sherry Butt that is used in aging Scotch? I don't mean like Hogshead. I mean Dry Sherry, Cream Sherry, etc.

What does Macallan use?

[Lawrence]

Macallan used to used Oloroso for their maturation and I think they still do but not 100% in the Fine Oak range ofcourse. I think Oloroso is the most common but I will have to ask and see what is for certain.

[kljostad]

I don't know about the rest, but the Lagavulin Destillers Edition is double matured. The second maturation is a few months in Pedro Ximenes Sherry casks.

I have tasted that Sherry as well. Had to buy it to see what influenced the Lagavulin. It was the sweetest sherry I have ever tasted.

[les taylor]

Macallan say that their Sherry casks have held rich rare sherries for at least 3 years. Hand picked from Jerez in Spain.

[irishwhiskeychaser]

Oloroso is probably the main type used. All Midleton sherry casks are Oloroso

Here is a break down from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherry

Styles

Fino ('fine' in Spanish) is the driest and palest of the traditional varieties of sherry.

Manzanilla is a variety of fino sherry made around the port of Sanlúcar de Barrameda.

Amontillado is a variety of sherry that has been aged first under a cap of flor yeast, and then is exposed to oxygen, which produces a result darker than fino but lighter than oloroso.

Oloroso('scented' in Spanish) is a variety of sherry aged oxidatively for a longer time than a fino or amontillado, producing a darker and richer wine.

Palo Cortado is a rare variety of sherry that is initially aged under flor like an amontillado, but develops a character similar to oloroso, with some of the richness of oloroso and some of the crispness of amontillado.

Sweet Sherry (Jerez Dulce in Spanish) is created when one of the preceding varieties of dry sherry is sweetened with Pedro Ximénez or Moscatel wine.

Cream sherry is a common variety of sweet sherry made from oloroso, with other varieties including pale cream sherry (made from fino) and medium sherry (made from amontillado).

[Deactivated Member]

It would be nice if they specified. Oloroso seems to be the most commonly cited. I'm sure the real feinschmeckers can tell by tasting.

Like kljostad, I had to go out and find some PX. Wonderful rich supersweet stuff, very raisiny, reminiscent of prune juice (but in a good way, really). Lustau is the best I've tried.

[karlejnar]

Related to the subject here is a list of the second cask's used for Diageo's Distillers Editions (however they are not all sherry casks, and of course they are not fully matured in sherry):

Glenkinchie: Amontillado
Cragganmore: Port
Dalwhinnie: Oloroso
Oban: Montilla fino
Talisker: Amoroso
Lagavulin: Pedro Ximenez
Caol Ila (new): Moscatel
Clynelish (new): Oloroso seco

[Scotchio]

If I remember rightly Glengoyne use a lot of palo cortado, have seen a couple of Brora's lately from fino casks too

[peergynt323]

The Mannochmore I had from a South African Sherry butt was just stunning. The sherry character was more like Sauternes than the dark, raisiny, toffee taste you get from oloroso.

[karlejnar]

The Mannochmore I had from a South African Sherry butt was just stunning. The sherry character was more like Sauternes than the dark, raisiny, toffee taste you get from oloroso.

Was that the Signatory Cask Strength in an oval decanter bottle?
If so - I remember it to be very light in colour rather than dark red/brown as a oloroso would be. Unfortunately I haven't tasted it (yet?). The colour (or lack of) would suggest a fino or another dry sherry type IMHO.
But then again, I'm not a sherry expert - far from. I just happen to like sherried whiskies especially some dark oloroso matured 'Laddie's.
That said - I like bourbon matured whiskies even more

[peergynt323]

Yes, that's the one. It's not dark, but it's definitely not second fill. I also just purchased a 36yo Duncan Taylor Glen Grant that is so dark it's opaque.

EDIT: The Sig Mannochmore I'm talking about is a 14yo.