Glencadam 25 Years Old Cask #Batch 1

Glencadam from the distillery, a 25 year old, cask Batch 1, at 46%, 1600 bottles in all. Glencadam is a Highland single malt, long a blending malt and now bottled as a single malt in its own right. Its single malts are bottled at 46 percent, without chill filtration or added colour. It was founded in 1825 by the merchant George Cooper, soon after the Excise Act made licensed distilling viable.

It was taken gently through wash and spirit stills, for the delicate, fruity make Glencadam is known for. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanillin and a soft coconut under the malt. Through the evaporative decades the esters fold into mango, beeswax and a creamy honey. The clean, fruity spirit deepens with time, the cask drawing out a creamy honey. Active wood frames the fruit without ever crowding the light Highland spirit. First fill wood drives the maturation, the cask clear in the light spirit.

At an approachable 46% it is fresh and clean. Pear, apple and a soft cream, lifted by a soft oak. Soft pear and a creamy vanilla sit behind the cask. The finish is light, fruity and clean. This is a fresh, fruity Highland single malt.