Single Cask Seasons is a bottling series from independent bottler Signatory Vintage for Kirsch Whisky Import. The goal of this series is to find a whisky that matches the season of the year. This time they bottled a 11 year old Bunnahabhain, matured in a 1st Fill Sherry Butt.

Facts

Nose

Very lovely and unbelievable fruity. Cherries, oranges, peaches, raspberries and frosted strawberries, followed by caramel, hints of mint and some freshly chopped nuts, maybe hazelnuts. No smoke, but a very light maritime touch. Warm marzipan and a bit of vanilla.

Taste

Unexpected punchy and intense. Cherries, plums and spicy vanilla. A bit oaky and peppery. Cooked oranges and cherry tobacco. Seaweed and sea salt. Some smoke, but really just a tiny bit.

Finish

Long and warm. Hints of smoke, sweet fruits and salt. Pipe tobacco, citrus and wood.

Overall

A very fine young Bunnahabhain from a good sherry butt — intense, punchy and wonderful fruity. Well worth the money (70€)!

Score: very good and highly recommended (90 / 100)

Although this is my very first review of a Ben Nevis, I tried quite a few (around a dozen or so) of them this year. But that was always on fairs or in my pub of choice so I wasn’t able to write down notes. And I don’t really know what it is, but this distillery made a lasting impression on me.

It is therefore surprising how little attention Ben Nevis gets among ‘the average’ single malt aficionado. To be fair, Ben Nevis doesn’t release a lot of bottlings and the ones they release (apart from their 10 years old standard expression), are often very price intense. But that has to do with their low production (1.5M liters per year) and the fact that a third of the newmake is sent directly to Japan for the owner’s (Nikka) blends. Which means that there is not much old stock laying around in the warehouse.

Lucky for us that there are quite a few (often very affordable) independent bottlings available.

Facts

Ben Nevis 1991 (Signatory Vintage ‘The Un-Chillfiltered Collection’)

Nose

The sherry oak influence is noticeable right off the bat. Honey pastries with powdered sugar, almonds, hazelnuts – maybe even some nut cake? Dried fruits, but hard to tell which ones. Followed by cinnamon, nutmeg and clove.

Taste

Oily and unexpected strong. Again a lot of sherry, the oak is more pronounced now. Hints of floral honey and salt. Ends with brown sugar.

Finish 

Long and strong with a light fruitiness. Ginger and a bit of oak.

Overall

Robust and complex, even a bit maverick if you will – a text book example of  a great Ben Nevis.

Score: 92 / 100

I have yet to taste a older Ledaig, but I could image that the spirit really benefits from some more years in a cask. With that being said, I was a little more than just skeptical about today’s Ledaig 2008/2015 from Signatory Vintage’s ‘The Un-Chillfiltered Collection’ given its young age of 7 years.

But little did I know that my skepticism was completely unfounded.

Facts

Ledaig 2008/2015 ‘The Un-Chillfiltered Collection’ (Signatory Vintage)

Nose

A delicate triumvirate of cold coal smoke, smoked beef and a whiff of iodine. Followed by vanilla and a few lemon drops. Roasted cocoa beans, filter coffee and dark wild berries in the back. There is also something that reminds me of furniture polish.

Taste

Starts with a lot of chocolate, followed by rose pepper and dark fruits. Again filter coffee. Not as much smokiness as in the nose. Only hints of cold and dry smoke.

Finish

Medium with a slightly dryness and touches of spices. Ends with dark berries.

Overall

What a pleasant surprise! A really nice dram despite the young age. Very balanced from start to finish and way smoother than expected.

Score: 86 / 100

Sample provided by whic.de

Lucky enough, there are independent bottlers like Signatory Vintage. The Mortlach 1990  from their ‘Cask Strength Collection’ was fully matured in a sherry butt for 24 years. And the best thing: At 150€ its only a seventh of the price of the OB 25 Years Old (price per liter).

Facts

Mortlach 1990 Cask 6075 (SV ‘Cask Strength Collection’)

Nose

Very subtle sherry sets an interesting counterpoint to more “darker” notes of earth, dusty oak and coffee beans. Dried berries. And sure enough, there is dried beef in the background.

Taste

Thick and chewy. Starts with a lot of sweet caramel but turns into a real spice bomb after a few seconds. Also very dry now. The spiciness gets less with time and milk chocolate as well as meat come to light.

Finish

Long. Dry but also a bit sweet. A reasonable portion of oak followed by hints of menthol and fruits.

Overall

Not an easy sipper! Interesting, but a little bit all over the place.

Score: 85 / 100

Sample provided by whic.de

Distillery bottlings are pretty much non-existent, however there are now and then releases from independent bottlers. One of them is Signatory Vintage. The North British 1997  is part of their ‘Single Grain Collection’.

Facts

North British 1997 (SV ‘Single Grain Collection’)

Nose

Pretty light. Lots of vanilla paired with hints of coconuts, honey and citrus fruits. A little bit perfumy.

Taste

Light, fresh and fruity. Starts with sweet citrus fruits and moves on with vanilla and a whiff of pepper. Followed by cacao, oak and peaty earth.

Finish

Long. Pretty dry and a bit spicy. Again a little smokey touch.

Overall

Very smooth, pleasant and a good starting point for everyone who wants to try out single grain whisky.

Score: 87 / 100

Sample provided by whic.de

Now, a single malt from Clynelish is not necessarily what I think of when it comes to springtime but all the more I am excited to give this one a try.

Facts

Clynelish 1996 ‘Single Cask Seasons – Spring 2015′ (SV for Kirsch Import)

Nose

Candle wax dripping down on oranges and cherries. Probably from more than one candle because the waxiness is indeed pretty strong. A sea breeze comes in and carries with it the smell of seaweed and brackish water. Underlined by touches of peaty earth. There is also smoked beef, dried flowers and sherry in the background.

Taste

Full-bodied and oily with a sweet fruitiness of strawberries (lots of), cherries and raspberries. Rock sugar. Again a lot of liquid wax. Followed by white pepper, dry earth and ash. The sherry is present at all times.

Finish

Long and fruity with cherries. Candle smoke. A bit peppery and drying towards the end.

Overall

Not sure if this a typical spring-like whisky for me but this is a pretty excellent dram nonetheless. A stunning combination between fruitiness, spiciness and waxiness.

Score: 92 / 100

Sample provided by whic.de