I believe I’ve tried all of The Whisky Exchange’s Christmas bottlings since 2018. First called A Fine Christmas Malt they are now A Good Old-Fashioned Christmas Malt.
While selecting the 2024 edition they eventually settled on a small parcel of sherry butts and hogsheads filled at an undisclosed Speyside distillery in 2008. Just like last year, it is 15 years of age.
A Good Old-Fashioned Christmas Whisky 15 yo 2008 (54,8%, The Whisky Exchange 2024, sherry casks)
Nose: supple sherry, with some of that PX roundness we often find at the GlenAllachie for instance. Figs and plum pudding, lots of red berries and sultanas. Then chocolate and orange peels. Red candy apples and Morello cherries. Forest floor in the background, as well as some cinnamon candy. Check, check, check… Christmas alright.
Mouth: good strength. These red berries comes out again, alongside nice toffee and latte notes. It’s on the juicier side, with a nice vibrance to it and a faint hint of Cherry Heering. A little tobacco and milk chocolate praline too. Then there’s a modern touch of toasted wood, as well as some ginger, but it really stays round and lively.
Finish: medium length, leaving a spicy impression, with chocolate, rum and raisins and baked apple.
Probably the best Christmas Malt from TWE so far, in my book. Simply a very rich sherried whisky that ticks a lot of boxes. Exclusively available from The Whisky Exchange and it’s actually cheaper than the 2023 edition.