This whisky has a very interesting recipe and it’s rather well documented. It’s a blended malt, but contrary to the vast majority of blended malts, it wasn’t blended just before bottling, but back then in 2001.
In that year, low-proof (probably quite old) leftovers from Glenrothes and Tamdhu bottlings were poured together. As they couldn’t fill an entire sherry butt, it was topped up with new make (*) spirit from a Speyside distillery that cannot be named (Glenfarclas perhaps?). This mix has been maturing for over 13 years and was now bottled at cask strength in the Archives series.
Three distilleries in one bottle, and all three have a great reputation for sherried whisky.
* Update: it seems the whiskies were blended in 2003, with 3yo spirit. So all components were already legally whisky when the blend was created.
Speyside region 13 yo 2001
(44,7%, Archives ‘Fishes of Samoa’ 2015, sherry butt #117, 180 btl.)
Speyside region 13 yo 2001Nose: fragrant, juicy sherry. Raspberry, cherries (including a little kirsch) and oranges. A bit of redcurrant jam. Gentle vanilla notes and some nice mint.
Mouth: medium bodied sherry, full of rum & raisins and quite some honeyed notes. Nice hints of orange liqueur and kirsch again. Fresh plums. Cinnamon. Fruit teas as well as some herbal notes and green oak, which may well come from the much older Glenrothes / Tamdhu components.
Finish: long, on red fruits and a green oakiness.
An uncommon recipe that works very well. You get a good dose of well-aged elements, including the oak, but it’s mixed with younger, brighter notes. More of these mash-ups please. Around € 70.
Score: 88/100