Edradour Bordeaux Cask Finish 21 Years Old 1999

A 21 year old Edradour, a distillery bottling, from 1999, cask 801 & 802, at 55.7%, 567 bottles in all. 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 drawn off the tiny stills and cooled in worm tubs for an oily make, for the rich, oily make Edradour is known for. Maturation came in a Bordeaux cask, layered over the rich Edradour make. At oxidative maturity aldehydes lend a nutty edge while ellagitannins add a gentle, drying grip over the oily malt. Active wood frames the rich fruit without overwhelming the oily Highland spirit. It was founded in 1825, growing out of an old farmers' cooperative in the glen above Pitlochry. A rare Morton refrigerator still cools the wort, one of the last in use in Scotland.

At 55.7%, undiluted, it is deep and concentrated. A rich, oily orchard fruit and almond, with a dark berry and a dry tannin from the cask. It is rich and oily, the full bodied spirit shining through. Dried fruit, chocolate and a soft oak see out a long finish. This is a rich Highland malt from the pocket glen at Pitlochry.