Ballechin Oloroso Sherry Cask Matured

Peated Edradrour matured on first fill oloroso sherry casks for six years: that is how you could describe this Ballechin Batch 4. Just like the previous (and following) releases, it is bottled at the drinking strength of 46% ABV.

Pleasant, if somewhat weird nose. Peat and sherry, always a risky combination, I find. In random order: Wellington boots, sewer, ether, disinfectant, pipe tobacco, bicycle tire, green herbs. Where is the sherry? Wait for it. Some mirabelles and oranges try to poke through the weird nose, but it is quite the struggle. Yellow plums? Gooseberries? Meh, with a bit of imagination. Having said that, it is quite entertaining.

It is soft on spices and dry peat on the palate. Liquorice arrives first, then ginger, pepper and some cumminseed or even coriander. A bit more fruit, now, albeit in a stew. Leather. Nuts, too. Quite nice. Time bomb, if you know what I mean.

Medium long finish on dry, spicy peat. Pinch of salt.

Again a rather intruiging malt from Pitlochry. How strange that I had not tried Ballechin before, merely because of the reputation of Edradour. Unwarranted, it seems!

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