Edradour 1st Fill Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 11 Years Old 2012

An official release of Edradour, an 11 year old, from 2012, cask 2, at 48.2%. Edradour is a rich, oily Highland single malt made in the old farm buildings above Pitlochry. It was bought in 2002 by Andrew Symington of the independent bottler Signatory Vintage.

Worked through Oregon pine washbacks and tiny stills for a rich, oily spirit, building the creamy Edradour style. Maturation came in a Cabernet Sauvignon cask, layered over the rich Edradour make. Integration folds eugenol (clove) and vanillin (vanilla) into the oily malt, the body fuller and creamier. Signatory's wide cask range gives the small distillery an unusual variety of finishes. A gentle maturation suits the oily make, the nutty richness growing with time. It was founded in 1825, growing out of an old farmers' cooperative in the glen above Pitlochry. Years in oak round the spirit, the dried fruit and chocolate deepening over the oily core.

At a hearty 48.2% it carries real weight. Chocolate, dried fruit and a waxy oil, with a dark berry and a firm tannin from the cask. The mouthfeel is thick and oily, the fruit on a creamy body. The finish is long, oily and gently spiced. This is Edradour, one of Scotland's smallest distilleries.