Not so long ago a parcel of Cask of Distinction samples were dropped off at my door. Occasionally they also end up in Europe, but most of these exclusive bottles go to Asia where some facilitators (not bottlers of course) specialize in this programme. Check out other prestigious casks that we’ve tried in the past.
In this case the casks were facilitated by The Whisky Firm. Established in 2020 in Qingdao (China), they also have a UK branch and access to a bonded warehouse in Scotland, which makes the international operations much smoother.
Mortlach 32 yo 1991 (49,7%, OB ‘Cask of Distinction’ 2024, refill European oak butt #4628, 520 btl.)
Nose: a complex mix of cigar boxes and exotic furniture polish, old brassware, walnut oil and old wine cellar. A full range of shades, from dark grison meat and spent coffee grounds all the way to expressive prunes, Cherry Heering, red berries and light hints of mint cordial. Drops of herbal extracts, Christmas spice, wet leaves and old leather. A very rich sherry bomb,
Mouth: more prunes and dates, quickly followed by black pepper and liquorice. Some pine, Seville orange and plenty of dark chocolate. Then lots of earthy notes, old Chartreuse and truckloads of pipe tobacco. More walnuts and coffee. Later also hints of well-aged Enmore rum. The trademark weight is clearly noticeable, even though it’s only mildly meaty (the best Ibérico). Mentholated notes, clove oil and hints of raisin sweetness keep things in check.
Finish: very long, sweet and savoury. Still deeply herbal, more tobacco and coffee, dark tea and salty black liquorice.
Not for the faint-hearted. This is a very herbal, savoury Mortlach with a lot of deep oak influence (but not too much). A very uncompromising dram, totally overtaken by the sherry, but this must have been quite a cask! Pretty brilliant in my opinion.
Singleton of Dufftown 32 yo 1991 (49,7%, OB ‘Cask of Distinction’ 2023, refill European oak butt #1881, 115 btl.)
Nose: a perfectly sophisticated nose. First we have figs, candy apples, raisins and orange peels. Gentle hints of patchouli in the background. Then a beautiful hint of old cupboard, cigar boxes and very light hints of earthy tea. Also linseed oil and brassware polish. The balance is impeccable.
Mouth: the earthiness and the tobacco stand out now. We find cedar wood, fresh leafy notes and cigars. Mid-palate it becomes slightly fragrant (potpourri) with a subtle tannic edge, but this also leads up to red berries, more raisins and toffee. Drops of herbal syrup and moss, walnuts and sweet cocoa dusting.
Finish: medium to long, back to dried fruits, tobacco and herbal tea.
There was a touch of floral oak on the palate, but it didn’t derail at all. Overall this Dufftown has a brilliant nose and a lovely style of sherry. Bottled right before the precipice. Score: 91/100
Oban 30 yo 1993 (55,3%, OB ‘Cask of Distinction’ 2024, refill European oak butt #683, 177 btl.)
Nose: more spicy from the start, with punchy black pepper, hints of oak char and a layer of sour cranberries and crisp apple. Of course there’s also the classic tobacco, leather, as well as some linseed oil and black tea. Then some coastal markers like sea spray and iodine. Various balms and deep caramelized notes come out later. Very beautiful.
Mouth: fairly wood-driven as well. That means more pepper and ginger, along with cigar boxes and nice hints of tobacco leaves. A leathery drying note as well. Then black tea, autumnal leafy notes, raisins and cranberries, with a certain sourness of the wood. Later also Seville orange, thin mints and a hint of salted ganache.
Finish: quite long, with leather, cedar oak and drying herbal tea.
This Oban is another really lovely bottling. There’s just a slight tannic edge but overall still a very rich and elegant sherry profile. The subtle coastal elements are a nice asset as well. Great stuff. Several of these bottles are still available from Revel Hibiki. Score: 92/100