Dornoch Single Cask #42 5 Years Old 2017 (Ex-Bourbon)

A 5 year old Dornoch, a distillery bottling, from 2017, cask 42, at 58.7%, 84 bottles in all. Dornoch is a hand operated Highland distillery in a former fire station by the castle, founded in 2016. Its house barley is Plumage Archer, a heritage variety once common in the 1920s and 30s.

The spirit was distilled slowly from floor malted heritage barley in tiny direct fired stills, giving the rich, old style Highland spirit. A first fill ex-Bourbon cask held it, oak lactones lending vanilla and coconut. Young and spirit led, the oak gives vanillin as vanilla and oak lactones as coconut over the oily heritage barley. Heritage barley and a long ferment give a make with flavour to spare while young. Maturing in insulated containers on site, the young spirit develops fast and full. Floor malted heritage barley gives an intensity that suits the small casks. Bottled at cask strength and natural colour, the full oily body is kept in the glass.

At a hearty 58.7% it carries real weight. Green fruit, malt and a soft vanilla, with a soft vanilla from the oak. A young oak and a soft vanilla give it shape. A long finish carries a green apple and a malty oil. This is a rich, oily Highland single malt.