Edradour 2003 Port Cask Cask #376

An 8 year old Edradour, a distillery bottling, from 2003, cask 376, at 46%. Edradour is a Highland single malt from a 19th century farm distillery run by a handful of hands. Its water comes from the Ben Vrackie springs in the hills above the distillery.

It was distilled from unpeated malt in tiny copper stills and worm tubs, giving the full bodied, creamy Highland spirit. A Port cask held it, shaping the oily spirit over the years. In these extractive early years the oak gives vanillin as vanilla and oak lactones as coconut over the rich, oily spirit. The worm tubs leave an oily weight that carries through the years in cask. Long ageing turns the rich make towards dried fruit, fig and a soft spice. It once supplied blends such as House of Lords and King's Ransom. The full bodied spirit shows the cask clearly, the sherry and oak to the fore. Refill oak lets the rich, oily Edradour character lead the way.

At 46% it is smooth and rich. Dried fruit, nut and a soft chocolate, with red berry, plum and a dry spice from the cask. Fig, nut and a creamy malt fill the middle. The finish runs long, nutty and warming. This is a Highland single malt of real character.