Auchentoshan 1988 Wine Cask Finish 25yo
A few days ago an intriguing package arrived at WBHQ from Auchentoshan…
Within the wrappings I found a teeny sample of red wine, a scroll, a sample of the Limited Edition 1988 Wine Cask Finish 25yo and to celebrate the 25 year old Whisky a lavish silver goblet.
Note to Rachel Barrie and Morrison Bowmore, I LOVE the goblet… a firm favourite with me
After looking into this dram in more detail I discovered the small vile of red wine is in fact representative of the exceptionally long wine finish, 1st fill barriques from Bordeux. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot grapes have combined with the oak to deliver this matured 1988 vintage.
Amazingly, the scroll leads me to believe that for 17 years this already 8yo Whisky has sat further maturing in red wine casks, and is said to be the longest Auchentoshan ever finished and also the longest wine finish in the entire industry. I’m impressed!!!
Bottled at 47.6% vol, limited to only 1,800 and retailing at £275 this Auchentoshan is 100% qualified to be drunk from a silver goblet 😉
Anyway how did it taste to me:
Colour: Luxury Marmalade
Nose: Christmas spirit soaked cherries, trifle sponge, shaved dark chocolate, rum and raisin ice cream, essence of Tia Maria and crystallised chocolate gingers. Dark, damp woody notes.
Taste: Dry and elegant, luxurious sweet pipe smoke / tobacco, overripe juicy black grapes or plums, a touch of citric pithy mouth feel, like tangerine skin or grapefruit rind. Sweet but very drying.
The red wine presents itself in huge bursts of juicy sweet complex tastes without squashing the traditional triple distilled Auchentoshan sweetness, so it looks like a 17 year finish is just about right for this 25 year old Auchentoshan.
This dram will complement nicely the already growing Limited Edition range from Auchentoshan.
