Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask Glencadam 1998 (14 year old) 50%
Sherry/ Code: OMC2255/ Dist: Dec 1998 Btl: Apr 2013/ Tasted: May 2013
Lightly floral aromas with some straw like barley and hints of earthy refill-sherry spices. However the rather pungent alcohol is masking the nose.
The palate opens with some lightly buttered oak and very subtle sherry notes along with sweet barley and earthy apricot. Pleasantly spicy on the middle but the finish is a little hot and spirity but the sweet barley note lingers.
I don’t normally add water to 50% bottlings but as it was very prevalent I thought I might see what happened. The nose became a lot lighter and Spey like with a touch of grass and pepper. The palate on the other hand became very oak dominated – buttery caramel and toffee. Still pleasantly spicy but rather short now.
Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask Glencadam 1995 (18 year old) 50%
Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OMC2356/ HL4581
Dist: Nov 1995 Btl: Feb 2014/ Tasted: Mar 2014
A beautifully moist nose of satsuma and orange along with hints of sweet honey and nippy, peppery spices. The oak is both sawdusty and slightly buttery and fills out but not overwhelms the nose.
The palate has loads of sweet toffee, that real, candied, creamy Werthers Original style toffee. So, unfortunately the palate doesn’t quite have the balance that the nose suggests and all that oak overpowers the citrus notes. They do eventually struggle through on the finish, but its oak city!
Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask Glencadam 1996 (19 year old) 50%
Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OMC2585/ HL12775
Dist: Nov 1996 Btl: Aug 2016/ Tasted: Sept 2016
Damp straw-like and old balsamic aromas punctuated by hints of gooseberry, apricot and pepper. Slightly industrial and a little hard going.
The palate opens with some milky oak, thus making it softer than you would have expected from the nose. Still slightly industrial with hard barley and an echo of juicy, sub-tropical fruit. Short-ish with noticeable alcohol and hints of straw and vanilla.
Hunter Laing Hepburns Choice Glencadam 2004 (10 year old) 46%
Bourbon/ Code: HEP0023/ Dist: May 2004 Btl: May 2014/ Tasted: June 2014
A high toned and youthful nose of grass, pineapple chunks and barley. Some sweet, duty and perfumed barley emerges along with some toasted caramel.
The palate displays more caramel which does dampen to be honest. There are hints of apricot, Satsuma and grass. A little short with a touch of sweet barley in the finish. Not quiet as exuberant as the nose.
Whisky According to Chris Whiskyman 