Edradour 10 Years Old 2012 Cask #51 (LMDW)

This Edradour was bottled by the Paris house La Maison du Whisky, a 10 year old, distilled in 2012, from cask 51, bottled at 59.4%, one of 224 bottles. Edradour is a Highland single malt distilled in a pocket glen near Pitlochry since 1825. It keeps the old ways, with an open cast iron mash tun, Oregon pine washbacks and worm tub condensers.

Run through the small stills with their boil ball purifiers, for a rich, nutty spirit with a waxy depth. A refill bourbon hogshead held it, keeping the rich, oily character to the fore. Integration folds eugenol (clove) and vanillin (vanilla) into the oily malt, the body fuller and creamier. The tiny stills and worm tubs give an oily spirit that takes the cask well. Signatory's wide cask range gives the small distillery an unusual variety of finishes. Active wood frames the rich fruit without overwhelming the oily Highland spirit. A rare Morton refrigerator still cools the wort, one of the last in use in Scotland.

Bottled at a cask strength 59.4%, it is rich. A full, fruity sweetness, with a soft vanilla from the oak. A baked apple and a gentle spice lift it. It finishes long, rich and oily. This is Edradour's full bodied, sherried Highland style.