Whiskybroker is a whisky wholeseller. Martin Armstrong and his team store casks for others and sell large parcels onto smaller players, including some highly regarded names. Other casks are bottled under their own label (which used to be fairly amateurish and now a tad more professional). Recently they created a new brand for this: Creetown Distillers or simply Cree. I find it weird that the SWA allows bottlers to call themselves Distillers, having two distillers on the label in combination with the term single malt, but I assume it is legit.
In my experience their bottlings sometimes give the impression of not cherry-picking too much. Often other independent bottlers have better examples of the same distillery and vintage, or pick the better casks from the same parcel. In this respect their own range probably started as the perfect way of letting go excess casks from their warehouse.
I understand this introduction starts with a bit of criticism, but there’s nothing wrong with choosing this strategy. Whiskybroker remains quite popular because any criticism is easily countered by some of the lowest prices among independent bottlers. Especially when you’re after a daily sipper their range tends to offer something for everyone’s taste and budget.
Speyside Distillery 28 yo 1995 (51%, Whiskybroker 2024, sherry butt #9, 564 btl.)
Nose: a fairly dusty start, on grappa and old newspapers. Then leather and vanilla come forward, along with herbal honey and walnuts. Chocolate coated nuts. A little allspice. Also hints of cabbage, yeast and vegetal earth in the background, but not too disturbing. Not a classic nose per se, but rather interesting.
Mouth: brighter and fresher now, with nice hints of juicy berries, apricots and hints of bananas. Raisin sweetness, hints of honey. Still hints of leather and old wood in the background, as well as some nutmeg and baking spice.
Finish: medium length, with more oak spice and walnuts. Grapes as well.
To me this smells more of sherry wood than of actual sherry, if you know what I mean. There’s a dustiness to it but also fruits. Interesting.
Ben Nevis 10 yo 2012 (51,8%, Whiskybroker ‘Cree’ 2023, Oloroso sherry quarter cask #2045, 141 btl.)
Nose: plenty of caramel notes and toffee, with vanilla pastry on the side. Raisins and milk chocolate, as well as toasted almonds. Then it becomes mocha, with dried apricots and a little tobacco in the distance.
Mouth: quite gentle, with more juicy fruits now. Apricots, blood oranges, plums, fruit gums. Mild spice like black pepper and nutmeg. Then more (milk) chocolate, some wood and a mild umami hint.
Finish: medium, indeed more woody now, becoming slightly earthy and dry although there is still some caramel sweetness.
Another modern style of sherry (no bodega would ever use a quarter cask…) with the typical caramel / chocolate / vanilla combination. Well dosed though, so I’m quite pleased. Good value for money, as expected. Still available from eSpirits in Germany. Score: 87/100