Tonight, we will be tasting five different Scotches. Each bottle varies in ABV, age, and finishing/maturation time in port barrels. I chose to do this tasting to introduce you to varied whisky styles from different regions while combining a common theme among them.
The bottles come from five different regions of Scotland, depicted below:
The “cocktail” was chosen to be a pour of tawny port to aid in identifying the port specific characteristics in each of the whiskies.
Cocktail: Fonseca 20 Year Old Tawny Port
As it matures in cask, Tawny Port gradually loses the deep red ‘ruby’ colour of youth and takes on the seductive amber hue known as ‘tawny’. At the same time the wine becomes progressively smoother and mellower, its aromas gaining in richness and complexity.
The fruit has mellowed further in the 20 Year Old. Deep amber in colour with russet highlights. Its superb bouquet is a complex marriage of ripe, mature fruit, warm spicy overtones of cinnamon and butterscotch and subtle oak nuances.
Fonseca 20 Year Old Tawny is deep amber in color with russet highlights. Its superb bouquet is a complex marriage of ripe, plummy, mature fruit, warm spicy overtones of cinnamon and butterscotch and subtle oak nuances.
Bottle 1 : Glenmorangie 14 Year Old Quinta Ruban, Ruby Port Cask Finish
Country of Origin: Scotland, Highlands
Distillery: Glenmorangie
Age: 14 Years
Proof: 92
Price: $65
Purchase location: Auburn Spirits East
Tasting Notes: [Coming soon!]
Why this bottle is featured: The 14 year old replaced the now discontinued 12 year old Quinta Ruban. It is widely available and affordable.
Bottle 2: The Arran Malt Port Cask Finish
Country of Origin: Scotland, Islands
Distillery: Arran
Age: 9-10 years
Proof: 100
Price: $50.00
Purchase location: TheWhiskyWorld.com
Tasting Notes: [Coming soon!]
Why this bottle is featured: Somewhat difficult to find in the United States. Aged approximately 8 years in bourbon barrels and finished in port barrels.
Bottle 3:The Glendronach Port Wood
Country of Origin: Scotland, Speyside
Distillery: Glendronach
Age: 10 Years
Proof: 92
Price: $60.00
Purchase location: TheWhiskyWorld.com
Tasting Notes: [Coming soon!]
Why this bottle is featured: A new limited edition from Glendronach. Initially matured in ex Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso casks before being finished in port barrels.
Bottle 4: Bunnahabhain Feis Ile 2017 Moine Port Pipe Finish
Country of Origin: Scotland, Islay
Distillery: Bunnahabhain
Age: 13 Years
Proof: 111.2
Price: $230.00
Purchase location: TheWhiskyWorld.com
Tasting Notes: [Coming soon!]
Why this bottle is featured: Cask Strength bottled for the 2017 Feis Ile, bottle No. 1,114 of 1,596. Matured in ex-bourbon and Oloroso casks for ten years before finishing in port barrels.
Bottle 5: Hazelburn 15 Single Cask, Refill Port Hogshead
Country of Origin: Scotland, Campbeltown
Distillery: Springbank
Age: 15 Years
Proof: 113.2
Price: $160.00
Purchase location: Potomac Wine & Spirits
Tasting Notes: [Coming soon!]
Why this bottle is featured: Hazelburn is one of three whiskies made by the Sprinkbank distillery. Hazelburn is triple distilled and unpeated, although there are trace amounts of smoke from the Longrow distillation (Springbank’s peated whisky). Distilled in 2003 and bottled in 2018. Entire maturation time in Refill Port Hogshead (1 of 264 bottles).
