.glencadam - 15yo

Guess what. We were at the distillery in May 2016 and we had a tasting of the core range of Glancadam's whiskies. The 15yo was the first single malt release of the brand immediately after their current owners - Angus Dundee - purchased the distillery in 2003.

46% abv, €55
single malt, non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: sweet, high amounts of vanilla, fruity, apples, pears, green leaves, milk chocolate, herbs, basil, marjoram, dried fruit, cranberries, raisins

Palate: sweet, vanilla overload, creamy milk chocolate, honeycomb, floral, buttercups, honeysuckle, 

Finish: rather long, creamy, sweet, lots of vanilla, honeycomb,
Mark: +++++ 

Conclusion: Nice. I'd prefer this over the 10yo at any time, if it were not for the almost doubled price. Very nice indeed, but not that nice...

.glencadam - 17yo - port finish

Glancadam has a thing for maturing their whiskies in ex-Bourbon casks, where 99% of their single malt disappears into this type. After twelve years of maturing, they decided to finish a number of casks in a threesome of port casks, and somehow though it was a good idea to leave it for another five years. This 17yo bottling, of which only 2765 were released, is the result of this experiment we received a sample of at the distillery.

46% abv, €90
single malt, non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: sweet, honey, honeycomb, creamy, floral, buttercups, rose hip, dry red wine, dried fruit, cranberries, leather, tobacco leaves, dark chocolate

Palate: sweet, honey, fruity, pears, warming, creamy, dried fruit, cranberries, floral, honeysuckle

Finish: sweet, creamy mouth feel, fruit, pears, dried fruit, cranberries, milk chocolate, medium long
Mark: +++++ 

Conclusion: Rather good. Not sure if it is still called a finish if it has been in port casks for five years, after twelve years in ex-Bourbin casks, but then, it is a good thing I don't make the rules. I cannot look into your wallets, but if you are into port finished whiskies, this is one to have a look at for sure. Not overly porty (I am guessing re-fill casks), but still strong enough to have a nice influence to the already sweet and creamy spirit.

More info: this was poured from bottle #2586/2765

.glencadam -12yo - cask strength

60(ish)% abv, €not for sale (yet?)

single malt, non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: fruity, sour grapes, fruit, unripe green apples, green leafy vegetables, lettuce, arugula, herbs, basil, sage

Palate: sweet, creamy but hot, honey, honeycomb, green leaves, herbs, sage, basil, marjoram

Finish: young (?), malty. young, sweet, bitter honeycomb, floral, buttercups, less sweet than the nose and palate
Mark: +++/++ 

Conclusion: The finish is a bit weird, and completely out of balance with the great scent en flavour, although rather sweet. A rather generous splash of water brings down the nastiness and opens the sweet and herbal notes. Water also brings it in balance a little more, and I would like to see what it will do on the market (price-wise) if this is ever released into it.

.glencadam - 10yo - revisited

One of Glencadam's core range whiskies is their ten year old. During our visit to the distillery, this automatically was in the tasting at the end of our tour, and, because of responsible driving and stuff, we brought a wee sample to re-review it, today.

46% abv, €35
single malt, non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: fresh, sweet, high levels of vanilla, fruity, citrus, sour green apples, Granny Smith's, white grapes, dry white wine, ahint of wine-gums

Palate: sweet, vanilla, fresh, fruity, citrus, green apples, a slight bitter

Finish: medium dry, firm, medium long, sweet, vanilla, liquorice, a marmalade hint
Mark: +++/++ 

Conclusion: Good. A typical whisky-whisky. She will do very nice as an aperitif. Does not excel in any way, but doesn't disappoint either. Likeable, good value for money.

updated from my earlier note made in June 2013

.glencadam - origin 1825 - revisited

Glencadam, known for their 10, 15 and 21 year old whiskies. In recent years they have added a selection of finishes to their core range, still in varying ages. They have also dared to release single cask vintage whisky and have not changed much over the years. Until they recently released a non aged stated whisky, their Origin 1825...

Revisited, because during our visit, we got poured a sample and took it home for - exactly this moment. Nothing much changed. Thank the Gods...

40% abv, €35

single malt

Nose: sweet, vanilla, fruity, ripe apples, pear, a hint of pineapple and coconut

Palate: sweet, vanilla, light floral honey, floral, heather, fruit, pear

Finish: easy going, sweet, a hint of vanilla, fruit, pears, rather short
Mark: +++++ 

Conclusion: Not an overly exciting whisky, but a very okay daily dram. As far as prices go these days, this is good value for money. There is nothing wrong with it, but there is nothing making me go "whoohoo" either.

More info from the press release:

"A very special collection of casks was chosen for the Origin 1825 edition. The final selection consisted of a unique marriage of whisky matured in first-class American white oak bourbon barrels with whisky “finished” in the finest Spanish Oloroso Sherry butts."

.many thanks to Angus Dundee distillers for sending us the sample

.glencadam - new make spirit

.that's the spirit!

During our travels through Scotland, we visited the Glencadam distillery, and were lucky enough to get a small tasting of seven (!) whiskies, including their freshly squeezed new make spirit. A large enough filling of our glass to request and fill a sample bottle for a tasting note,

68% abv, €not for sale
single malt new make spirit, non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: fresh, floral, buttercups, citrus, lime, dried fruit, raisins, earthy, mushrooms, wet leaves

Palate: sweet, fruity, pears, creamy, hints of citrus, lime

Finish: rather short, fruity, pears, dried fruit, raisins, citrus peel
Mark: +++++ 

Conclusion: Ghee. In spite of the high abv, this is very creamy and quaffable stuff. With a little water added, it reveals some earthy notes and specifies the citric and fruity character.

.glencadam - 19yo - sherry cask finish

Twelve years in ex-Bourbon casks, then seven more in ex-Oloroso Sherry casks before being bottled into 6000 bottles.

46% abv, €105
single malt, non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: sweet, fruit, pears, floral buttercups, dried fruit, berries, blueberries, mulberries, a hint of milk chocolate

Palate: sweet, spicy, rather dry, fruit, dried fruit, berries, cranberries, milk chocolate

Finish: sweet, metallic, medium long, rather dry,
Mark: ++/+++ 

Conclusion: I am not very impressed. The sherry casks were probably used before (and before that) and have had little influence to the spirit. Even worse, the quite outspoken spirit might even be numbed down with the seven year finish, resulting in a not very interesting, but rather expensive bottling.

More info: this was poured from bottle #5215/6000

.glencadam - 25

After 25 years in American white oak ex-Bourbon casks, it was time to release a limited quantity of Glencadam to the European and Asian markets. Only 1600 bottles are available.

46% abv, €275

single malt, non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: sweet, heather honey, fruity, pears, pineapple, mango, kiwifruit, cactus fruit, dragon fruit, a hint of dried fruit, raisins, dates, nuts, hazelnuts, milk chocolate (Nutella!)

Palate: sweet with a slight bitter, marmalade, fruit, citrus, oranges, exotic fruit, pineapples, cactus fruit, a hint of hazelnuts and chocolate again

Finish: gentle, sweet, fruity, soft pears, raspberries, medium long
Mark: +++++ 

Conclusion: fruity, balanced, ridiculously smooth. A very likeable dram. I am pretty sure the casks have not been very active to begin with (think second or even third fill), but they sure have done their job in their own leisurely pace over time and created this fine example of how important time and maturation (and fine cask selection) actually is.

.glencadam - 22yo - abbey whisky

Distilled in 1991, aged in a refill ex-Bourbon cask for 22 years and bottled into 96 bottles in 2014, this Glencadam is the fourth release of Abbey whisky's the Rare Casks portfolio.