Nc’Nean Organic Single Malt 46%
Batch 12/ 35% Bourbon, 65% STR wine casks
Tasted: May 2022
The nose is quite rich and barley’d with subtle estery apple, apricot and pineapple. Lovely softness and balance of oak, the American oak vanillins are pronounced with the STR influence quite subtle. Hints of spice, raisin, honey and minerals. With time the winey dried fruit notes become more noticeable, which is not a surprise given the percentage of them in the blend.
The palate mirrors the nose, kicking-off with the rich barley. The estery fruit notes are subtler and theres more of the STR, edgy, grippy spices. Hints of dried red fruit on the middle and a long, intense, spicy finish with lingering slightly bubblegummy fruit and barley.
Nc’Nean Huntress 2022 48.5%
3 yeast types/ 39% Bourbon, 61% STR wine casks
Tasted: May 2022
A lovely nose of juicy, lush, estery apricot, orange and tangerine. It becomes almost tropical with time but it’s balanced by the taught barley and slightly edgy STR cask notes. With time the creamy American oak appears along with a touch of honeysuckle, mint and dried apple/ white grape.
The palate is lightly oiled but citric, not quite as estery as the nose but still well endowed with juicy apricot, apple and orange. Grippy STR tannins, spice and barley on the middle. Wonderfully intense, great length, juicy fruit, barley, honeysuckle, chocolate, pepper and vanilla finish. In conclusion: Lovely whisky but is it worth 80 odd quid?
Whisky According to Chris Whiskyman 