Edradour Natural Cask Strength 13 Years Old 2006 (57.2%)

An official release of Edradour, a 13 year old, from 2006, cask 347, at 57.2%, 675 bottles in all. Edradour is a Highland single malt from a 19th century farm distillery run by a handful of hands. The distillery sits in a pocket glen at Balnauld, in the hills above Pitlochry in Perthshire.

Distilled slowly in the old farm stillhouse on Ben Vrackie water, for a rich, nutty spirit with a waxy depth. Finished in an Oloroso cask, the wood building over the oily, full bodied spirit. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin settling into a rounded vanilla as ethyl esters lend a riper apple and dried fruit. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and coconut over the fruit. Refill oak lets the rich, oily Edradour character lead the way. The full bodied spirit shows the cask clearly, the sherry and oak to the fore.

At 57.2%, undiluted, it is deep and concentrated. Dried fruit, chocolate and a nutty oil, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. A baked apple and a gentle spice lift it. A rich finish ends on dried fruit and a soft oak. This is the little gem of the Highlands at Pitlochry.