Aberlour and sherried whisky go hand in hand. With A’bunadh setting the standard for OB NAS sherrybombs for two decades, it’s interesting to see a new Aberlour sherried expression hit the market. Granted, this whisky isn’t designed to be a replacement for A’bunadh. Casg Annamh was matured in 3 different cask types: European oak sherry casks and two different types of American oak cask (ex-bourbon and ex-sherry).
Casg Annamh is Scottish Gaelic for Rare Cask. I’m not a big fan of releases that market the casks themselves as the main differentiator. This often gives distilleries a focus on “great casks” that are somehow supposed to make up for younger/inferior whisky. However, I’m excited to give this new release a try with a completely open mind. This release is non-age stated and is bottled at 48% ABV.
| Category | Notes |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Gold |
| Nose | Candied ginger, plums, some oak, ripe melon, orange, cereal grain. It took a while for many of these notes to finally emerge. |
| Taste | Stewed fruit, clove and pepper attack the tongue, cherries, vanilla, honey, malty undertones. |
| Finish | Spicy, vanilla, maple syrup, sherry, drying oak. Medium in length. |
| Overall Thoughts | Some graininess and lack of big oak influence leads me to think that there’s some younger whiskey in here. While this fits a different flavor profile, I still think the extra cost for A’Bunadh is worth it compared to Casg Annamh. |
| Total Score | 85/100 |
2 comments
Young, oak forward and not very inspiring. Before the recent price hike, you used to be able get an Aberlour a’bunadh for this kind of money. The Casg Annamh is a poor replacement if you ask me.
I know. It’s tough to see how whisky’s popularity has driven these young, NAS releases out to the market. I’d take A’Bunadh over this given the choice every time.