Brave New Spirits - Cask Noir - Ghost of the Hill - Single Grain Port Dundas 17 - 54.6%
From the Bottlers
Brave New Spirits Ltd proudly presents their new series of independently bottled Scotch Whiskies: The Cask Noir Editions.
Starting life in some of Scotland’s finest studios (aka “distilleries”) each release takes inspiration from classic movies and novels from a bygone era. From thrilling and adventurous to dark, romantic and mysterious, these whiskies embark on a journey of discovery, into an exceptional world of exotic flavours and interesting & unusual casks.
Each production boasts a cast of characters carefully chosen, and perfect in their role. Each and every release is selected by an experienced panel, and the producer’s philosophy is quite simple: Taste is the key to the enhusiast's heart.
Our aim is to become renowned for high quality, delicious and interesting releases. We care about provenance & age, but the selection for each release is driven foremost by flavour.
Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Port Dundas Distillery
1st fill Lafite Wine Barrique
Age: 17yrs
Maturation: March 2006 - April 2023
Strength: 54.6%
Bottles: 307
Tasting Notes:
Appearance: New gold, forms a thin line which beads before falling as slow, thick legs.
Nose: Tinned strawberries, icing sugar, apple pie and damp Autumn leaves.
Palate: Soft, creamy mouthfeel, punctuated by chilli heat and followed by notes of strawberries and cream, baked apples, vanilla pods and a soft slightly vegetal note. With a few drops of water, the heat diminishes allowing a strawberry ice cream note to come to the fore, together with a touch of struck match.
Finish: The red berry notes fade quite rapidly, leaving black liquorice, sulphur and chilli spice which linger for quite a while. With water, that sulphurous struck match note becomes more prominent.
Overall: I would be the first to admit that grain whiskies aren’t my usual ‘go to’, however this 17 year old one is unusual enough to have kept me interested with every sip. The Lafite barrique influence is pretty evident with those red fruit notes and there is a delightful rich creaminess to the mouthfeel. If I was being critical, taken neat it’s a little on the hot side, however a few drops of water make all the difference.
Transparency: Received free of charge for independent review, all opinions are my own and remain completely impartial.
