Edradour Madeira Cask Finish 15 Years Old 1999

Edradour from the distillery, a 15 year old, from 1999, cask 902 + 903, at 56.4%, 472 bottles in all. Edradour is a small batch Highland malt, owned by the independent bottler Signatory Vintage. It keeps the old ways, with an open cast iron mash tun, Oregon pine washbacks and worm tub condensers.

The spirit was distilled from unpeated malt in tiny copper stills and worm tubs, for the rich, oily make Edradour is known for. A Madeira cask held it, shaping the oily spirit over the years. Through oxidative maturity esters concentrate, the dried fruit and chocolate turning rich over the waxy body. A small distillery and a hands on approach shape every cask by hand. A rare Morton refrigerator still cools the wort, one of the last in use in Scotland. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and coconut over the fruit. It is one of the smallest traditional distilleries in Scotland, long run by just two or three hands.

Bottled at a cask strength 56.4%, it is rich. A rich, nutty sweetness, with a nutty, raisined sweetness from the cask. A baked apple and a gentle spice lift it. The finish is rounded, fruity and gently spiced. This is Edradour's full bodied, sherried Highland style.