I’ve rarely written about Edradour. It’s one of Scotland’s smallest ‘traditional’ distilleries (12 casks a week, they claim) and a charming place with old production methods, but I’ve never really understood their whisky. Keep in mind that I got into whisky around 2005-2006 and Edradour kept releasing weird finishes and inconsistent whisky to say the least.
I have to admit I didn’t follow the new production closely but recently I had been hearing positive things so I thought it was time for a new assessment.
Edradour 10 Years is aged in a combination of Oloroso Sherry and Bourbon casks This batch should mainly include whiskies distilled by the new owners Signatory Vintage.
Edradour 10 yo
(40%, OB +/- 2016)
Nose: savoury, beefy sherry, with a slight oily touch and hints of stale butter. Quite heavyweight, still a tad dirty (bouillon). Damp forest. Eucalyptus. Blackberries. A little vanilla, burnt caramel and roasted almonds.
Mouth: nicer, quite full-bodied for 40%. Chocolate, with some dark oak, nutty notes and raisins. Blackberries again. Lots of toffee notes, baked apples. It’s slowly developing some (European?) oak spices and a light herbal, sourish / bitter edge.
Finish: fairly long, on dried fruits and spices, mainly nutmeg.
I wouldn’t say it suddenly placed itself high in my watch list, but it’s true that this is much better than before. Unusual and, well… interesting. Around € 40.
Score: 80/100