Review by: Whiskery Turnip
Distillery: Cameronbridge.
Bottler: Jack Wieber.
Region: Scotland/Lowland Single Grain.
ABV: 59.1%. Cask Strength.
Age: 27 Years. Distilled in 1990. Bottled in 2017.
Cask type: Sherry Cask Finish.
Nose: Dried fruits with ample licorice, anise, cinnamon, and a kiss of clove; more leather and syrupy plums or dates further in; lacquered wood and cedar with subtle burning incense, more old wood, resin, and hints of plasticine.
Palate: Full-bodied and syrupy, rich dried fruits, dark chocolate with dark roasted coffee, birch bark, pine nettles, and polished lacquered wood; tannic and a bit drying with subtle orange, anise and clove; hints of cherries and cherry pits, burning incense, resin, and warm cedar wood.
Finish: Long and slightly drying with wood, dried fruit, and resin.
Mental Image: Bucolic Winter Monastery.
Conclusion: My expectations for this were not high— my only prior encounter with Cameronbridge was not inspiring, and my experience with heavily sherried grain whiskies has been decidedly mixed. So I did not expect to find a whole lot to love here, but by golly, this was delicious. The cask did a lot of heavy lifting; the grain virtually disappeared in the background, so thank goodness it was an excellent cask.
Usually, something like this would be over-oaked for my taste, yet this was surprisingly balanced and complex even though it was very much a wood-forward profile. The aroma was rich and varied, and while the palate was a touch more closed off, it was still incredibly well-structured and coherent, with a beautiful interplay between wood, spice, and fruit. A few drops of water opened things up so that more leather and incense arrived while the dried fruits, mostly plum and date, lingered longer.
Overall, defying all expectations, this was fabulous and one of the best-sherried whiskies I have had in a while, much less one of the better single grains. I would not pull this off the shelf often; it requires the right mood, but considering the wine-heavy influence on the flavors, I imagine this pairs beautifully with a bit of cheese.
Final Score: 87.
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
- 50-59: Save it for mixing.
- 0-49: Blech.
Malt Runners 