Strange name. And strange place of origin, at least legally speaking. This rich and unusual spirit was actually born and raised in Scotland before earning “citizenship” in Spain. A blend of more than 30 malt and grain whiskies (between five and eight years old) from Speyside, it spent three years in sherry casks in Scotland before getting transferred to Jerez, the home of sherry, where it spent an additional 12-plus months in old Pedro Ximenez casks owned by Gonzalez Byass (of Tio Pepe sherry fame).
So, we’ve got a hybrid here, which cannot be legally called Scotch because it was not matured entirely in the mother country. That’s fair enough, because the “finishing” period in sunny southern Spain, where heat generates more intense interaction with residues in the wood casks, clearly has had strong impact on the flavour.
While there’s a tradition in Scotland of maturing whisky in casks that formerly held sherry, this may be the most sherry-like whisky you’ve ever tasted, thanks also, no doubt, to the intense sweetness of the Pedro Ximenez residue in the finishing wood. Bottled at 41.3-per-cent alcohol, it’s rich amber in colour and rich on the palate, with a thick texture and flavour notes that include raisin, dried fig, date, vanilla, roasted nuts, honey, cinnamon and nutmeg. Think of it as a breakfast cereal in a shot glass. Or as a sherry that drinks like a whisky. Available in Ontario (in limited quantities) at the price below, various prices in Alberta, $78.08 in Saskatchewan.
- Price: $64.95