I’ve been meaning to write tasting notes for those two for quite some time now, as both were featured in a tasting event we held for our HolyDram IL whisky club.
The first of which is a 12 year old single Sherry Oloroso cask #2685, specially selected for the Netherlands [ Single Cask – De Monnik Dranken 100th Anniversary ] from an Oloroso cask.
Glengone 12 yo single cask #2685 , 56% abv
Nose : Rich with orange marmalade, cherry cobbler, dried figs and caramel. Some spices as well which balance the sweet jammy like notes, and nice alcohol feel to it. After further nosing it reveals notes of red apple peel , and raisin.
Palate: Big entry at 56% abv, with more apple crumble , cherries, a dry woody note as well, the Oloroso sherry is quite dominant, adding a sweet-spiced note as well as caramelized apples, sultanas and quite a bit of wine tannins, pepper and leather, even some chilly flakes.
Finish: Cherries, caramel, sweet wine quite spicy and drying, the sultana and leather notes go on for quite some time, and orange peel.
Conclusion: A very good example of classic Oloroso cask maturation, with the spicy, sweet and fruit (dried, and fresh) sultanas, cherries and chilly. Highly enjoyable and well balanced.
Score : 88/100
The second Glengoyne for today is a Palo Cortado sherry finish, at 51.4% abv. Bottled (for the German market) in 2014 and distilled in 1998 making it a 15 year old whisky. The whisky was aged for 13 years in ex-Bourbon casks and then 2 additional years in PC Sherry casks. Palo cortdo casks are not very common in the whisky industry because they are hard to source (although we’ve seen some Bunnahabhains and Deanstons lately featuring this cask finish). It would be interesting to see how a different sort of sherry will impact the GG liquid.
Glengoyne 1998 Palo Cortado finish , 51.4% abv
Nose: a combination of sweet and sour with Sultana, and baked granny Smith apples, sour cream, and dry sherry Nutmeg,cinnamon and nuts, with apple strudel, but with sour apples filling and citrus.
Palate: the sherry influence here is much stronger, with a big winey note up front, then it gets chocolate-y and sweeter, with the sultanas and maybe some prunes as well, a touch of vanilla, and Nutmeg, and even a touch of black tea and pepper.
Finish : chocolate, prune raisins and cocoa with a touch of oak.
Conclusion : Not as sweet as the Oloroso, with nice dry sherry notes, sour apples and chcoolate. The palate is a bit too wine-y for me, and were it not for this vinous note that is a bit of a disappointment, this whisky would have really been excellent. Enjoyable, but balance is lacking.
Score: 85/100
Thank you Niko for the sharing!