Hyde No1 ‘Presidents Cask’ 10 year old 46%
Cooley bottled by Hibernia Distillers/ First Fill Bourbon finished in first fill Oloroso
Tasted: Sept 2015
A soft nose of herbal accented barley, honey, toffee, banana, malt and a touch of sherried dried fruit, however it’s the American oak which comes through quite strongly. Late hints of chocolate and spice.
The palate opens with the winey, dried fruit, followed by creamy vanilla and hints of malt, barley and apricot. It fills out well on the middle with some gentle bittering spices. Long, citric and slightly chocolaty finish with an almost salty twang and a very herbal after-taste.
Hyde No2 ‘Presidents Cask’ 10 year old Rum Cask Finish 46%
Tasted: Mar 2016
Nose: What on earth is going on here? It smells oily and petrolly just like Riesling?! Quite herbal and youthful with tart lime, apple and pear notes. Now. That’s an unusual nose!
Palate: Full and oily with sweet, lightly oxidised apple, pear and white fruit liberally coated in honey and infused with petrol. It tastes like a late harvested Alsatian Riesling. Amazingly well balanced and fresh.
Finish: A little short with lingering herbs, oat cakes and petrol.
Conclusion: I don’t think I’ve tasted a whisky quite like it. Has it been finished in an ex-Riesling cask that was still half full of wine? By the way, I love Riesling!
Hyde No3 ‘The Aras Cask’ 6 year old 46%
Irish Single Grain Bourbon Matured
Tasted: Apr 2016
Nose: Opens with plenty of toasty oak, vanilla and natural caramel, followed by sun dried grape, sultana and hints of red berries. A light herbal graininess adds freshness and with time hints of spice appear.
Palate: Quite heavy on the soft, butter toffee oak with a good combination of grainy dried fruit and winey red fruit. Some gentle, bitter spices on the middle but the refreshing, herbal graininess adds balance.
Finish: Good length. Intense and wonderfully vibrant. A little austere possibly with lingering grain and red fruits.
Conclusion: A vatted grain? It certainly exhibits youth and maturity and possibly wine finished? Either way it’s very enjoyable.
Hyde No4 ‘Presidents Cask’ NAS Rum Cask Finish 46%
Tasted: Dec 2016
A youthful but pleasantly barley’d nose. A thread of citrus balances the rum cask sweetness and with time a touch of apricot, grass, banana and spice appear.
The palate opens with an instant Caribbean sweetness, but the sharp citrus notes balance. Hints of barley, apricot and banana follow. Pleasantly full and subtly spiced on the middle. Long and extremely spicy with lingering sweet fruit and a touch of coffee.
Hyde No5 ‘The Aras Cask’ Burgundy Cask Finish 46%
Irish Single Grain
Tasted: Oct 2016
Nose: Very crisp and grainy with herbal spices and oily, vanilla coated dried fruit. Even the subtle smoke notes have a herbal demeanour.
Palate: Showing more of the oily dried fruit along with the herbal spiciness. A little simpler but still very herbal and very grainy with a touch of milky vanilla oak.
Finish: A bit oak aged vodka-like
Conclusion: Pleasantly intense, although it sort of runs out of steam towards the end.
Whisky According to Chris Whiskyman 