If we would express our sentiment towards Edradour like the stock market, then it would show a moderately rising trend. The distillery released a number of weird cask experiments and mediocre core range expressions in the past, but things are improving in my opinion. In recent years independent bottlers picked a couple of nicer examples and now official bottlings seem to behave better as well.
Today we’re looking at a recent small batch release matured in Madeira casks. Remarkably it was both distilled and bottled on a 29th of February – shouldn’t the age have been counted in leap years then?
Edradour 12 yo 2012 – Small Batch – Madeira Casks (48,2%, OB 2024, first-fill Madeira hogsheads #110-119, 3987 btl.)
Nose: mostly tart fruits, like sour plums, orange juice, unripe pear and tangerine. The sourness could be seen as a winey note perhaps, but nothing disturbing. Caramel notes join the party, as well as lemon verbena and a hint of fresh (pine) wood in the end. Rather uncommon, as expected from Edradour.
Mouth: a similar youngish winey touch, with more acidity and quick spice. Tart apples and slightly synthetic lemons, along with juniper berries and aniseed. After that it becomes slightly sweeter and more oaky, with hints of clove and ginger. Light floral touches as well. The spiciness becomes a little dominant towards the end.
Finish: medium, with nutty notes and a hint of caramel, along with oak spice.
Not bad. This Edradour offers some uncommon sour fruits and warming spices, but also winey notes and maybe a bit too much of these warming spices. Not a highflyer after all. Still plenty of stock in Germany, or so it seems.