Mannochmore 18yo 1990
One Smooth Sherry Bomb
0 388
Review by @jwise
- Nose~
- Taste~
- Finish~
- Balance~
- Overall88
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- Brand: Mannochmore
- Type: Scotch
- Region: Speyside
- ABV: 54.9%
One more sample from Master of Malt. I'd never heard of Mannochmore, but I just had to get a sample when I read this: "A big bodied Mannochmore - heavy on the sherry. This was distilled in 1990 and released as part of Diageo's range of special releases. Each bottle is at cask strength and individually numbered." I guess I'm a sucker for "big bodied", "heavy on sherry", and "cask strength."
It isn't as dark as Aberlour A'Bunadh, but it is a full copper.
ABV: 54.9%
Nose: Mmmmm! Sherry! It's got all the normal aromas associated with a sherry bomb: caramel, honey, lavender, a bit of anise, ripe berry fruits, and a bit of cinnamon. Delicious.
Palate: YUM! Spices coming out nicely, with a wonderfully full bodied sherry sweetness. Warming in the mouth, but not as hot as A'Bunadh.
Finish: Nice, long finish! Perfectly balanced, with a bit of spice and sherry sweetness. Smoother than the younger sherry bombs: A'Bunadh and Macallan Cask Strength.
This whisky is not winey at all. It is just a perfectly sherried dram! Big sherry, that is. Perhaps it is not as complex as others have been, but it delivers what it promises, and doesn't hold back. If you like A'Bunadh or Macallan Cask Strength, but find them a bit too 'hot' and not smooth enough, this Mannochmore might be just the ticket. The only problem is that the Mannochmore 18yr is priced at ?102. Yes, that's right, ONE HUNDRED AND TWO POUNDS! That comes out to $162, or $100 more than either of the two competitors. The Mannochmore is good, but I can't even definitively say that it is better than either of the others! If you prefer the smoother, less 'hot' Mannochmore, may I suggest adding a few drops of water to a dram of A'Bunadh, and you probably couldn't tell the difference.
So, even though I think it is a great whisky, I wouldn't recommend it. That is, unless you don't consider $165 and $60 to be appreciably different. This is definitely a great whisky to order as a sample, as I am glad I got to try it, but I sure would have been disappointed to have spent the money on a whole bottle, when I could have nearly had three bottles of A'Bunadh for the same money!
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If you're going to put limited and ultra-rare releases against long-time price crackers like A'Bunadh, then the limited releases are never going to win. It's like slashing Port Ellen for not being as cheap as Lagavulin 16 and not being much better.
I'm not even sure they are comparable. I only find a handful of bottlings every year with a smoothness comparable to this Mannochmore. To find a monstruous sherry release like A'Bunadh is much easier.