Dram data:
Distillery: (Glen) Ord
Bottler: Cadenhead’s
Distilled: 2004
Bottled: 2015
Age: 10 years
Limitation: 450 bottles
Casks: Bourbon Butt
Alcohol: 60.5%
unchillfiltered and uncoloured
Whiskybase link
Tasting notes:
Colour: barley gold
Well, well, well… those guys from Cadenhead’s have always been a wee bit crazy – but in a good way. You’ve got to read the neck tag of that bottle twice. Or thrice. Matured in a bourbon butt. Yep, not a typo – at 450 bottles I believe this is not “small batch” but actually “single barrel”. I’m sure Mark Watt will correct me if I’m wrong… Anyway, we’re here for the whisky…
The nose opens with – well, what else – quite a bit of alcohol. Hey, this baby was bottled at over 60% ABV! Let’s set the glass aside for a few minutes. Ah! citrus fruits (oranges and tangerines) sprinkled with vanilla seeds (restrained), citrus seeds, zest and pulp. Orange blossom, tea with milk a dash of lemon (I know you shouldn’t add both, but hey…), fresh gooseberries and apricots. Young, fresh, light, uncomplicated, very summery-fruity, an ideal beach dram? The palate is initially hit by quite a load of alcohol (oh, really…?) and while light-ish in character it coats the entire mouth and is quite viscous. Hmmm…. who ordered sugar-reduced shortbread with cream? Also apricots, dried oranges, orange peel, carribbean rum. Let’s try adding a dash of water. Hmmm… loses a bit with an added dryness and added bitter citrus fruit kernels and gets a bit restless – like a surfer boy who just spotted a hot chick. And where did the cardboard come from? The short to medium finish has the least alcohol influence – not a burner – and offers a lot of dry notes – cracked citrus fruit kernels with hints of shortbread, diluted sugar and honey and a bit of oak towards the end.
Verdict:
“an ideal beach dram” was my impression from the nose – and, yep, that’s what it is. fresh, light, fruity, not without substance but not too much depth – like a fling on the beach. Just as I’m not the type for flings, I’m a bit torn regarding this whisky too, also because it wasn’t exactly cheap at 58€ for a 10-year-old dram. I just can’t help but wonder what might’ve happened if it was left to mature another five or ten years. I’ll save this for the summertime and might just try a few blending experiments, adding a few drops of older, maybe sherried drams! Hey, nobody said you shouldn’t experiment!
Score: 82/100
(Nose: 83 Palate: 82 Finish: 82)