Auchroisk 13 Years Old 2011 Cask #806158 (The Vintage Malt Whisky Co Ltd.)

Bottled by The Vintage Malt Whisky Co. in 2024 as a 13 year old single cask release, drawn from cask 806158 of 2011 vintage Auchroisk with 300 bottles distributed to the European market at cask strength of 56.5%. The Vintage Malt Whisky Co. is a Glasgow based independent bottler founded by Brian Crook in 1992, with releases focused on small batch single cask Scotch at natural strength.

Distilled in 2011 at the Mulben distillery built by Justerini & Brooks in 1974, the wash was made from 100% unpeated malted barley with soft Dorie's Well water and fermented for around 53 hours in stainless steel washbacks. Auchroisk runs the spirit through four wash and four spirit stills with constricted lyne arms, encouraging high reflux that returns heavier compounds back to the pot. Shell and tube condensers give further copper contact, stripping sulphur compounds, with the spirit collected at around 70% ABV and filled into a single Madeira cask.

Thirteen years in Madeira conditions drove distinctive fortified wine character into the lighter Speyside base. Madeira casks carry residues from extended estufa heating and oxidative aging, with high concentrations of acetaldehyde and syringaldehyde alongside hydroxymethylfurfural from Maillard chemistry. The combination drives burnt sugar, walnut, dried orange peel, and balsamic notes, integrated with the spirit's underlying light ester signature at 56.5%.