Sourced from an undisclosed distillery in Speyside, this 2005 single malt was matured in two refill hogsheads and finished in Oloroso sherry hogsheads for two years. It was bottled by the Thompson Brothers this summer.
You want a clue? The distillery is known for the house-martins that swoop among the worm tub condensers, returning each April for as long as can be remembered…
A Speyside distillery 20 yo 2005 (52,4%, Thompson Bros 2021, Oloroso hogshead finish, 552 btl.)
Nose: quite a weighty spirit, with lots of seemingly uncoherent notes. Rhubarb jam and pear but also sour notes (lime), broken branches, hints of grist and raw potatoes. A greasy component (myabe sunflower oil). A hint of vase water? The slightly bulky character is underlined by some meaty sherry notes. The jury is still out.
Mouth: slightly wacky again. There’s this fat, meaty side again, but also a firm sourness (tart berries, giving it a really juicy touch) and a clear winey note, a slightly green / herbal bitterness and some cheesy touches. Ahum. Lemon peel. Grassy hints. A light earthy note too.
Finish: quite long, tense and tart with this winey edge.
A very textural, almost bloated malt – not an easy one in my opinion. I failed to get to grips with it, I would even say it’s almost flawed in some respects. Not sure whether it’s the spirit character or the kind of sherry cask used.