Edradour Burgundy Cask Matured Batch No. 1 6 Years Old 2003

Edradour from the distillery, a 6 year old, from 2003, cask Batch No. 1, at 46%, 2600 bottles in all. Edradour is a Highland single malt distilled in a pocket glen near Pitlochry since 1825. It was bought in 2002 by Andrew Symington of the independent bottler Signatory Vintage.

The spirit was drawn off the tiny stills and cooled in worm tubs for an oily make, for the rich, oily make Edradour is known for. Finished in a Burgundy cask, the wood building over the oily, full bodied spirit. At an extractive age eugenol lends a clove note and lactones a coconut, the spirit rich, oily and nutty. Refill oak lets the rich, oily Edradour character lead the way. For years its sign read Scotland's smallest distillery; it now calls itself Scotland's little gem. It once supplied blends such as House of Lords and King's Ransom. A rare Morton refrigerator still cools the wort, one of the last in use in Scotland.

At 46% it is smooth and rich. Chocolate, dried fruit and a waxy oil, with a soft red berry and an earthy edge from the cask. A dried fruit and a polished oak give it depth. The finish is long, oily and gently spiced. This is the oily, rich malt of tiny Edradour.