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Edradour 10 Year Old

"No Sleep 'Till Pitlochry"

4 983

@cricklewoodReview by @cricklewood

9th Nov 2018

0

Edradour 10 Year Old
  • Nose
    21
  • Taste
    22
  • Finish
    22
  • Balance
    18
  • Overall
    83

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Distribution of ratings for this: brand user

A small highland distillery, in the 30's it was apparently owned by a New York mobster. It was bought in 2002 from Pernod Ricard by Andrew Symington, who also runs independent bottler Signatory. In some ways its not unlike the Springbank/Cadenhead connection.

Stangely the 10 year old is the only one of their whiskys which they "chill filter" and it's bottled at 40%. It's weird since Signatory is know for its unchillfiltered line. It's a vatting of bourbon & sherry casks, no specific mentions.

Nose: Musty, damp basement, funky, a bit of sweetness, vanilla, milk jam, a feeling of oxydized sherry, the tiniest hint of peat, like smelling burnt leaves in the distance.

Palate: At first I got chinchona bark like in tonic water, it was very weird. Allspice, black earth, puer eh tea. It veers into full on malted barley notes but with a good dose of oak spices, there is also a feeling of sharp cider.

Finish: Oak, caramel, coconut oil, juniper, a touch of chlorine & damp concrete.

What a ride! This thing has lots of character, despite the low ABV, it's not an easy one but none of it was unpleasant. Some bits reminded me of the grimy side of Springbank.

That said I wouldn't buy a bottle of this, it lacks some of the depth to push it into the high score territory. I am definitely curious to try more from this distillery.

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9 comments

@RianC
RianC commented

@cricklewood - Thanks for the excellent review - love the title! It does sound interesting but you've further convinced me it would be prudent to hold out for one of the more 'craft' offerings.

6 years ago 0

@OdysseusUnbound
OdysseusUnbound commented

Excellent review. It does sound quite interesting. I had this one in my hand last night, but put it back mostly because of the price to ABV ratio. I think it was about $85-$90 CAD. I was hoping to find the 12 Year Caledonia (46% NCF) but alas, it was not to be.

6 years ago 0

@MadSingleMalt
MadSingleMalt commented

@OdysseusUnbound, is that 12 Year Caledonia supposed to be a winner? The specialty shop by me has one on the shelf, they're currently running their annual November "10% off all scotch" sale.

6 years ago 0

@MadSingleMalt
MadSingleMalt commented

@cricklewood, that tagline is great.

Was this the old Edradour 10? I had the impression that the old one was 40% and the newer ones are higher. I ask because there is pretty strong consensus that the old 10 was disappointing, if not outright bad.

6 years ago 0

@RianC
RianC commented

@MadSingleMalt - If I may speak on behalf of @OdysseusUnbound? Ralfy, scored it 90 or 91 and pretty much every other review I've seen has been positive.

6 years ago 2Who liked this?

@OdysseusUnbound
OdysseusUnbound commented

@MadSingleMalt I’ve only heard positive things about the 12 Year Caledonia and mixed reviews about the 10. At $60 I may have taken a chance, but not at $90

6 years ago 0

@cricklewood
cricklewood commented

@MadSingleMalt it was the 40%abv version, I think that's the only one we get! Although at times our government stores seem like the place expressions go to die.

This was interesting more than it was good, I would guess the other expressions have more to offer.

6 years ago 1Who liked this?

@MadSingleMalt
MadSingleMalt commented

@cricklewood, I was actually thinking not so much "40% version v. higher-ABV versions" but rather "old Edradour v. newer Edradour."

Just because the old ones seem to pretty widely panned, and I see lots of folks giving Edradour their unofficial "most improved" nods over the past few years.

6 years ago 0

@cricklewood
cricklewood commented

@MadSingleMalt sorry didn't notice my exclamation mark in my response makes it seem too intense, it was meant to be interrogation.

I understand what you mean, yes it has been said that the quality of the releases have increased. This is a recent bottle not older stock.

Symington bought the distillery in 2002, so previous stocks might not have been the best or maybe it was them finding their footing the first few years.

6 years ago 1Who liked this?