One Cask at a Time – A Special Dram Selection
Independent bottler One Cask at a Time launched its debut collection of 6 single cask Whiskies. These new bottlings come in three different categories: “Chronograph“, “Pendulum” and “Grandfather”. Each category is based on the age of the bottling.
Head of brand development at One Cask at a Time, Russell Bradley, commented: “Only casks of exceptional quality have been chosen for bottling under the One Cask at a Time label. A testament to the art of whisky making and a tribute to the role time has to play in transforming a whisky, each cask has been hand selected for it’s unique qualities — bottling a moment in time to share with the world.”
Let’s look at the 6 single casks that were released earlier this year.
Chronograph has two expressions.
Ben Nevis 11 Year Old, 56.1% Alc/vol, Cask Number 1487, Distilled 13/11/12. Only 307 bottles are available.
Glentauchers 15 Year Old, 56.9% Alc/vol, Cask Number 800682, Distilled 03/04/09, only 271 bottles available.
Pendulum has a single expression.
Auchentoshan 26 year old, 59.2% Alc /vol, Cask number 9801001671, Distilled 10/02/98.
Grandfather has three expressions in this category.
Highland Park 27 Year Old, 43.2% Alc/vol, Cask Number 816, Distilled 13/.09/96, only 187 bottles available.
Ledaig 30 Year Old, 42.3% Alc/vol, Cask Number 252, Distilled 05/03/93.
Aultmore 33 Year Old, 43.5% Alc/vol, Cask Number 5923, Distilled 27/09/90, only 146 bottles available.
Tonight I shall be tasting the 2 expressions from the Chronograph category, Ben Nevis and the Glentauchers.
First up is the Ben Nevis,
Ben Nevis – 11 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 56.1% Alc/vol, 70 cl
Colour…Pale new pine.
Nose…First sniff – a blast of fruit, just walked past the open door of a florist shop, a very small hint of vanilla.
Taste…Mixed crushed nuts, apple pie sitting on a Speyside stave, lemon bon bons, jammy dodgers, chardonnay,all dancing round an oak table.
Finish…Medium to long finish, apple spritz against a slightly bitter but amusing finish.
A very fine dram the youngest of the 6 and I found it a touch spiritry overall. With an RRP of £89.00 this is quite good price for a single cask, cask strength dram. If you are adding water it may need two teardrops to fully open it up.
Now let’s sip Glentauchers.
Glentauchers – 15 Year Old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 56.9% Alc/vol, 70 cl
Colour…Chardonay.
Nose…Fruits galore, runny honey, gooseberries, kiwi, grapes, melon and apples, a little burst of citrus,
Taste… More honey, rose petals, a Caribbean punch, banana fritters in a crispy batter, a fragrant jasmine blossom-framed garden path, chilled fresh fruit salad with whipped cream and more honey.
Finish…Again another medium to long finish, a bit of dryness, not as spirity as the Ben Nevis, fruit and blossom notes are certainly in charge and way, way in the background I found some very mild spices.
This is a delightful 15 year old single cask, cask strength single malt. This one is quite elegant. Very easy on the nose and the palate. It has an RRP of £115.00 which is okay, place it under the £100.00 barrier and it would be very enticing to all.
Look out for my next tasting of two more single cask, cask strength expressions from ”One Cask at a Time”
Auchentoshan 26 Year Old
Highland Park 27 Year Old
Please go to One Cask at a Time to get full details of the company and their special selection of single cask whiskies.
