Mackmyra Scorpions Rock'n'Roll Star - 40%

 

I've mentioned before that I usually stay well away from celebrity branded products, however Mackmyra did such a great job with the Motörhead whisky that I couldn't resist the temptation to try this one. Putting aside the obvious branding as I'm more of a Mackmyra fan than a Scorpions fan, what really attracted me to this whisky was seeing what influence a cherry wine cask would have on their spirit.

Distillery notes:

This whisky is matured in American ex-bourbon barrels as well as former oloroso sherry casks – but with an additional finish in German sweet cherry wine casks. The use of the German ex-sweet cherry casks gives the whisky an added cherry sweetness and complements the vanilla of the ex-bourbon casks and the nutty buttery flavours of the casks.

The result is a whisky with rich tones of vanilla, dried fruit and roasted nuts and an elegant berry sweetness from the cherry wine casks. The odds are you’ll love this whisky at first sting!

Tasting Notes:

Appearance: Amber, forms a thin line which beads before falling as slow, thick legs.

Nose: Heady vanilla, red fruits, candied peel, sultanas, Demerara sugar and a little nutty oak.

Palate: Soft, creamy mouthfeel which builds. Red fruit and soft notes of Maraschino cherries, malted milk biscuits, oak spices and a mild herbal note.

Finish: Honey, dried fruit, warming Christmas spices and a little tannic oak dryness.

Summary: So the question you're all asking, or possibly not...did it 'Rock me like a hurricane'? 

Not entirely would be the answer, but it is a very nice, easy drinking whisky with some lovely fruit notes. There’s complexity, but it’s subtle. The cherry wine influence is evident and marries well with the combination of ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks, whilst the gentle spice adds welcome warmth.

This is one of those whiskies which would really benefit from a higher abv as it feels like it has so much more to offer. Current price sits around the £65 mark, although I picked this up at auction for a fraction of that. At that price you do feel they could have gone to 43% or even 46%, made a far more interesting product and still retained a healthy margin.

Overall, it's good but it's not as memorable as Motörhead...much like the band.

If you would like to know more about Mackmyra, their whiskies and their ethos, follow the link to their website