Cadenhead Ord 2005 Quaich Cask

Andrew's Tasting Note

Nose: malty, honeyed and sweet; raspberry and kirsch eau de vie; red shoelaces, vanilla pods and hibiscus syrup; a building spicy backboned with candied ginger and wood spices.

Palate: still sweet, honeyed and malty with a toasty-creamy mouthfeel; chunky barley with a flinty minerality and creamed honey; more red shoelaces, subtle floral tones, vanilla and hibiscus syrup; crisp citrus fruits and a coating oily body; the spices build with each sip: more candied ginger and wood spice.

Finish: coating, creamy, malty and oily with more ginger and wood spice; fresh and honeyed with orange and white fruits.

Comment: this bright, honeyed and spicy malt is a very well balanced dram, and a sessionable whisky; independent bottlings of this whisky are hard to come by making this a rare find.

Evan's Tasting Note

Nose: floral and spicy notes along with lots of toasty, malted grain. Sunflower seeds pistachios, a touch of canola oil, grapefruit rind, baked apples, cinnamon, yeast and bread, and dried grass clippings.

Palate: spicy ginger and black pepper meet creamy honey in a burst of flavour and sensation up front, pineapple, golden delicious apple and yellow plums, vanilla and light oak and wood notes.

Finish: The spice sticks around eventually makes more room for the sweet notes to linger. A touch nutty and dry on the very end.

Comment: The battle between spice and sweet is a lot of fun. It might take your palate a few sips to acclimate, but once it does there is no looking back.