In an period the place various kinds of ex-wine cask maturations are as in style as ever, there’s little doubt that ex-Oloroso sherry casks are essentially the most utilized. Ex-Port and ex-Pedro Ximenez (PX) sherry are shut seconds and thirds, in no explicit order, which is completely comprehensible since ex-Oloroso casks contribute flavors akin to nuttiness, sweets and dried fruit to spirits. Most individuals like these notes.
For this evaluate, I hope to match and present the readers what peated Islay single malt is like when matured within the much less in style kind of ex-sherry cask. This shall be my first time making an attempt any single malt absolutely matured in ex-fino sherry casks, so I don’t know what to anticipate from this apart from it being totally different.
Now, I’m not right here to take a deep dive into sherry. It’s already a tough subject to deal with. The latest change of its guidelines even made it extra tough to study. The spirits trade utilizing principally “faux” or seasoned and moist sherry casks can be one other rabbit gap to get into. If you wish to study extra about sherry, learn this latest article from Vinepair and a earlier publish from Alyssa.
The tunnel visioning onto two sorts of sherry for cask affect leaves the opposite varieties left unrecognized by spirits drinkers. Which, I feel, hinders the market progress of sherry and different fortified wines, because it’s additionally nicely established that almost all sherried whisky lovers don’t even drink sherry. The irony.
I assume it’s additionally a bit private to me as I prefer to drink Amontillado and Palo Cortados once they’re out there in Spanish eating places. Fortunately, smaller manufacturers would generally use certainly one of these different ex-sherry casks as restricted releases. An instance could be this Kilchoman launch that was absolutely matured in 11 contemporary and 1 refill Fino sherry butts.
In case you’re unfamiliar with what fino sherry tastes like: it’s a really dry sherry. The few I’ve had give off natural, saline, briny and nutty flavors. Its shade can be on the lighter and pale facet vs Olorosos’ and PX’s pink darkish hue.
The Smokehead Sherry Bomb is absolutely matured in ex-Oloroso sherry casks, which makes this the model of peated and sherried single malt that extra individuals are used to. I’m unsure which distillery Smokehead’s whisky comes from. Within the model’s earlier days, it was stated to be Ardbe, however I heard that the contract with them has ended. It’s guessed to be Caol Ila now, since they provide many of the peated Islay single malts to blenders, brokers and bottlers.
Smokehead Sherry Bomb – Evaluation
48% ABV. £64.95 on The Whisky Trade. USD $70 domestically.
Shade: Mild maroon.
On the nostril:Mild to medium aromas of mellow peat, smoke, cherries, balsamic vinegar, strawberries, and pink cotton sweet.
Within the mouth:Not as peaty and smoky as on the nostril. It’s extra within the background together with a pepperiness. The Oloroso sherry cask affect is stronger right here. I style notes of cherry-flavored sweet, strawberries, adzuki beans, grenadine, and pink cotton sweet.
Conclusions:
This has a stable physique, however I discover the number of flavors to be missing and monotonous. For one thing that’s restricted version, I anticipated it to have a bit extra pizzazz. I assume the principle attract to this expression is its being absolutely matured in ex-Oloroso sherry casks, which is unusual since many of the peated single malts are often aged in ex-bourbon casks, whereas those who have ex-wine cask influences are often just some months of ending.
Rating: 5/10
Kilchoman Fino Sherry Cask 2020 Version – Revoew
46% ABV. USD $140 domestically. £74.52 on the Kilchoman website on the time of launch.
Shade: Korean barley tea.
On the nostril: I get ashy aromas of peat and smoke. After it are aromas of ripe bananas, exhausting banana-flavored candies, inexperienced kiwi, herbs, lemon peel, toffee, the sweetness in Korean barley tea and cereals. On the finish is a refined however lasting vinegar aroma, which is shortly adopted by extra smoke. A touch of sulfur seems right here and there but it surely doesn’t hassle me.
Within the mouth: Lighter peat and smoke. There’s a mixture of gentle and medium tastes that remind me of these banana-flavored oatmeals and cereals combined with honey. There’s additionally toffee, lemon peel, dehydrated lemon peel, and Korean barley tea. A touch of sulfur would additionally shortly seem and disappear.
Conclusions:
I applaud Kilchoman for doing one thing totally different. Sadly on this case, totally different doesn’t imply nice. The whisky can be unexpectedly fickle. Shifting this across the glass for a bit actually brings out the volatility of the ethanol rendering the aromas to be coated by the warmth.
Regardless of me not discovering this nice, I like this being totally different since you get to style extra of the distillery DNA, which is one thing you don’t actually get to expertise in a single malt absolutely matured in an ex-wine cask. The totally different cask affect additionally means the ensuing taste combine can be totally different.
I’m not going to issue within the comparative worth this time as it is a uncommon endeavor that’s additionally carried out nicely, so I feel the totally different costs are warranted.
Rating: 6/10
For reference, please seek the advice of Malt’s price-sensitive Scoring Bands.
