Notes on The Casual Dram:14 - Sunday 1 December - Mean Doses Taproom
Notes on the lineup… (tickets available here)
Blair Athol ‘Signatory Cask Strength Collection’ 12 Years Old 2008 54.4%
Maturation - Refill hogsheads finished in a fresh sherry butt for 23 months
Recipe
Heavy, nutty malt - Blair Athol is one from the Diageo stables. The distillery keeps its wort (the liquid that is fermented into beer to then be distilled) cloudy, runs a short fermentation and keeps a controlled level of solids in the wash still which add a rich, deep, malt-loaf character to the new make.
10 years in Hogsheads - these are reconstituted bourbon barrels (typically) of around 225 and 250 litres. They have new ends - which means new oak - which can mean spice and vanilla. Bourbon barrels typically offer vanilla, coconuts, grassiness and green apples.
Fresh sherry butt finish - butts are big (no jokes please) but a first fill butt should still provide ample sherry - and 23 months is a fairly long finish.
Caol Ila ‘Signatory Cask Strength Collection' 11 Years Old 2010-2022 57%
Maturation - Refill hogshead finished in a fresh sherry butt for 20 months
Recipe
Light and fruity malt - New make at Caol Ila is light and fruity thanks to tall stills filled low that maximise reflux and copper conversation. Add a long ferment into the mix plus high cut points and that high tone limoncello note the distillery is famous for should sing through.
Nine years in hogsheads - as mentioned above, hogsheads quite often add spice to whisky. Of course, there is no mention of what was previously in them - but typically they would be rebuilt from bourbon barrels (sherry hogsheads do exist though).
Sherry butt for 20 months. No mention of what fill this is. Presumably fresh?
Deanston 'Signatory Cask Strength Collection' 13 Years Old 2008 66.8%
Maturation - 1st fill sherry butt
Cask number - 900076
Recipe
Fruity malt - Deanston employs low gravity worts, a long fermentation and slow distillation which contribute to a fruity waxy style.
13 years in a 1st fill sherry butt - Yes! Now we’re talking. Expect Xmas cake, sandalwood and lashing of spice.
N.B This is a sister cask to the stinky Deanston from Dramfest in 2020 which was cask number #900072 also distilled in 2008 and bottled at an abv of 67.8% abv.
Benrinnes 'Signatory Cask Strength Collection' 11 Years Old 2012 58.8%
Maturation - Dechar/rechar bourbon hogshead
Cask no - 310541
Heavy, robust and meaty malt - A complex distillation regime (which used to involve triple distillation), stills with wide necks and slow distillation, enhance the heavier and oilier characteristics of the spirit. Everything is run through worm tubs which are kept very cold at Benrinnes, adding further weight and meatiness to the spirit.
Dechar/rechar bourbon hogshead - as the name suggest - the old char is scraped off a used barrel and then the wood is re-charred. This new charred oak should exhibit vanilla, caramel and spice flavours.
