Glencadam 21 - 46%
Located in the town of Brechin, Glencadam has been producing whisky since 1825 and is highly prized by blenders for it's ability to add the top note to their whiskies. It's believed the spirit owes it's light, fresh character to the unusual design of their stills.
Whilst stills in most distilleries have a Lyne arm which is angled downwards, the Lyne arms at Glencadam differ in that they run upwards at an angle of 15 degrees which is thought to increase reflux and copper contact in the same way as much taller stills, whilst also ensuring the heavier compounds are returned back to the still. The result is a cleaner, lighter spirit.
In addition to racked warehousing, Glencadam also have two dunnage warehouses, one with a concrete floor and the other with a traditional open earth floor.
Distillery notes
Glencadam Distillery opened in 1825 and, since then, little has changed to our award-winning whisky. The entire Glencadam range is bottled at 46%, is unchillfiltered and is natural in colour.
Multi-award winning Glencadam Highland Single Scotch Malt Whisky Aged 21 Years is a fine example of centuries of craftsmanship and tradition. "The exceptional" malt with a beautifully lingering, true flavour.
Nose: Floral and elegant with some sweet orange citrus tones
Palate: Refined, gentle, floral with orange citrus and candied peel sweetness balanced by underlying peppery oak tones
Finish: Lingering and dignified
Colour: Light golden
Tasting Notes:
Appearance: Straw coloured, swirling forms a thin line which beads before falling as slow, medium thick legs.
Nose: Lemon zest, vanilla bean, fresh and slightly floral with a slight grassiness and a little nutty oak.
Palate: Oily mouthfeel at first, turning creamy with time in the mouth. Vanilla custard, candied orange and lemon peel, coconut cream, butterscotch, pineapple, light butterscotch, woody oak, cinnamon and peppery spice.
Finish: Long and sweet, barley sugar, orange marmalade, malt, honey, peppery oak spice and just a hint of anise late on.
Summary: Whilst there are strong similarities to the 10 year old and 15 year old expressions, the light fruitiness is still there in abundance, there is a noticeable step up in complexity. The extra maturation, together with use of a higher proportion of refill ex-bourbon barrels, has added more vanilla to the mix and toned down some of the pepperiness, which when added to the creaminess of the mouthfeel gives the whisky a more luxurious feeling.
Overall, a refined, complex whisky which still manages to feel retain the fresh and fruity nature of the Glencadam spirit. When available it sits around the £100 mark which, for a 21 year old, unchillfiltered whisky of this quality, is very well priced in the current market. It's hard to find at the moment but well worth the hunt at that price.
If you would like to know more about Glencadam and their whiskies, follow the link to the company website.
Transparency: this sample pack and tasting session was by invitation of Angus Dundee Distillers plc. The author has no affiliation with the company, all opinions are my own and remain completely impartial.
