PEACHES FIT FOR A PRESIDENT

What would you think if a whisky literally tasted like rich peach syrup in a glass? What on earth is going on here?! Cask 128.17 is not just one of the most intriguing fruit bombs we’ve ever seen, but also one of the oldest whiskies ever bottled from this distillery which revived the Welsh whisky world back in 2004. Imagine pouring the peach syrup from an SPC tin over a pavlova, at Christmas, out the back on the lawn, surrounded by family and friends. This is THAT whisky. Otherworldly flavours.

Millions Of Peaches

SWEET, FRUITY & MELLOW

CASK No. 128.17

$240

REGION Wales

CASK TYPE 2nd fill bourbon barrel

AGE 11 years

DATE DISTILLED 8 September 2010

OUTTURN 167 bottles

ABV 58.2%

AUS ALLOCATION 48 bottles

Aromas of white chocolate buttons, caramel toffee and apricot Danish, before one panellist piped up “I have that song ‘Peaches’ in my head, by The Presidents of the United States of America.” No surprise on the palate then, ‘Millions of peaches, peaches for me’, or indeed us, a Bellini cocktail par excellence. After adding a drop of water other fruits made a guest appearance, strawberries, pineapple and mango but on the taste we all agreed peaches, in the form of a tart, cobbler, jam or from a can as we went back to the song with part of the lyrics ‘‘peaches come from a can, they were put there by man.’’

What Dreams Are Made Of

OLD & DIGNIFIED

CASK No. 35.287

$775

A Dream Of Chocolate And Cream

JUICY, OAK & VANILLA

CASK No. 71.86

$185

REGION Speyside

CASK TYPE 2nd fill PX hogshead

AGE 29 years

DATE DISTILLED 25 October 1991

OUTTURN 69 bottles

ABV 51.1%

AUS ALLOCATION 24 bottles

We visited the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art in Jerez and walked through the immaculate stables. The aroma of polished leather boots and saddles mingled with the light breeze of sweet fragrant orange groves. We sat outside and enjoyed a cigar out of a well-waxed wooden box, and after a sip of water, we got served jamon serrano extremely thinly sliced direct off the bone. Fabulously rich, sweet, juicy and velvety – “what dreams are made of” it is that which we imagine or fantasise about. After 27 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead we transferred this whisky into a second fill PX Sherry hogshead, which previously matured whisky from Society cask 5.69.

REGION Speyside

CASK TYPE 1st fill bourbon barrel

AGE 13 years

DATE DISTILLED 10 October 2007

OUTTURN 155 bottles

ABV 55.1%

AUS ALLOCATION 24 bottles

Freshly baked banana bread arrived with a topping of walnut icing and nutmeg while the juiciness of lemon zest and apples joined pineapple sherbet and pear schnapps. The palate carried delicious creamy textures with coconut and vanilla. Pears served with ginger and clove syrup mellowed into lemon drizzle cake and after dinner mint chocolates. A subtle floral aroma of heather arrived with water before the fruitiness returned with pears, pineapples and limes mixed together in a sorbet. The palate again embraced vanilla cream but now with orange zest, quince jelly and hints of sage while chocolate flavoured breakfast cereals lingered on the finish.

The Sweet Kiss Of Leather Splinters

JUICY, OAK & VANILLA

CASK No. 105.40

$185

Fifties Mouthwash

JUICY, OAK & VANILLA

CASK No. 19.65

$250

REGION Speyside

CASK TYPE 2nd fill heavy toast medium char hogshead

AGE 9 years

DATE DISTILLED 26 June 2012

OUTTURN 277 bottles

ABV 66.2%

AUS ALLOCATION 36 bottles

The initial nose suggested heather honey, dried flowers, hibiscus tea, malt loaf and natural liquorice. We also got winter herbs, bouillon stock, candied hazelnuts and treacle on brown bread. A wonderful sense of richness and texture. With water we found rapeseed oil, turmeric, cherry-scented nail polish and freeze dried raspberry. A wee pouch of menthol tobacco left lying about somewhere in the background. The arrival in the mouth was warm and rich with spices. Also thick notes of cod liver oil, waxes, black tea, miso paste, wintergreen and lemon cough drops. Extremely satisfying. Matured for 5 years in a bourbon hogshead before transfer to a 2nd fill heavy toast medium char hogshead.

REGION Highland

CASK TYPE 1st fill bourbon barrel

AGE 18 years

DATE DISTILLED 17 February 2003

OUTTURN 201 bottles

ABV 57.5%

AUS ALLOCATION 48 bottles

A typically rich and satisfyingly deep aroma to begin, lots of malt syrup, mothballs, cough mixtures and herbal resins all betray this is an older style highland malt. We also noted toasted nuts, bergamot, citronella wax and tea tree oil. With water we found milk bottle sweets, cold cubes, vanilla sponge cake and dusty waxy tones. The neat palate opened in classically waxy and syrupy form, lots of tinned fruit juices, myrtle, wintergreen, herbal teas, ointments and spiced custard. With water emerged lemon oils, fir wood, hardwood resins, furniture oil, camphor and honeyed brioche toast.