Dailuaine 11 Year Old - Brave New Spirits ‘The Rise of The Badger Clan’ - 50.9%

 

Fresh from the successful release of their Voodoo range comes the Cask Noir Editions series from Brave New Spirits. As the name suggests, the range takes inspiration from classic movies and novels from a bygone era, whilst giving a nod to the distillery itself.

The Cask Noir Editions series will be comprised predominantly of single cask bottlings, mainly single malts with the occasional single grain. All presented at cask strength, with no added colour and no chill-filtration.

‘The Rise of the Badger Clan’ is an 11 year old Dailuaine from a first-fill Bourbon hogshead and bottled at 50.9% abv.

Before we go any further, let’s address the elephant (or in this case the badger) in the room. A clan is the collective noun for a group of badgers, an animal which has featured on Dailuaine bottlings. Quirky, but certainly memorable. 

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Pale gold, forms a thin line which beads before gradually falling as thin, oily legs.

Nose: Lemon citrus, slightly overripe pears, vanilla ice cream with a drizzle of honey, there’s also a hint of a savoury note lurking.

Palate: Light at first, becoming oilier with time on the palate. Honey and caramel, followed by sweet stewed apples, malted milk and a mild tobacco savouriness. Black pepper provides a little sharp warmth.

Finish: Caramel toffee, black pepper and a lingering savouriness, ginger spiciness comes in very late.

Overall: The first thing to say about the whisky is that it has a great mouthfeel, initially light but with a progressively more oily feel. On the palate there is plenty of interest, with fruity notes well balanced by a subtle savouriness and a touch of black pepper. 

This is one of those whiskies which doesn’t drink like a cask strength, water brings out a little more fruit but I’m more than happy without. Priced at £62.95, in my opinion a decent price for the quality.