Teaninich 11 Years Old 2010 Cask #76A (The Single Cask Ltd.)

An independent Teaninich, from the independent bottler The Single Cask Ltd, aged 11 year old from 2010, drawn from cask 76A and bottled at 58.2%. 135 bottles in all. Teaninich, established in 1817 near the Cromarty Firth at Alness, is a key malt of Johnnie Walker. Fat copper stills add an oily texture to the clean, grassy spirit.

Distilled on Highland spring water through fat copper stills, building the light Highland style blenders prize. Maturation in a sherry cask laid dried fruit over the grassy malt. Still young, the malt is grassy and oily with a citrus lift. The light, oily make takes cask character well across maturation. The Munro family ran the distillery through two generations before selling. The Cromarty Firth nearby is one of few UK waters home to bottlenose dolphins. A long fermentation of around 75 hours builds the fresh, fruity notes.

At its natural 58.2% it is concentrated. The Pedro Ximenez lends raisin, date and treacle, and grass, pear and a gentle wax meet honeyed oak sweetness underneath. It is fresh and oily, the fruit and oak well matched. A clean, gently waxy finish lingers. This is Teaninich's clean, grassy Highland style.