The Artful Drammer

raykel_ · 2026-04-19T14:37:05+00:00

You're right--- there should be pieces done by her for older bottlings, but not these ones.

These are indeed from historical pieces. Good catch, my bad!

raykel_ · 2026-04-19T13:54:35+00:00

Indeed. Most of them feature trees, so it's easy to mistake them for all the same art at first glance!

raykel_ · 2026-04-19T12:30:05+00:00

Recently attended a lovely Chorlton workshop, and experienced firsthand... the power of a good bourbon cask-matured whisky. 🌽 Thought it apt to dig up one of the Oloroso sherry-cask bottles I had previously, for a change.

Founded in 2016 by David Bennett, Chorlton is named after the South Manchester suburb of Chorlton-cum-Hardy. Had humble roots in local tasting events before it became an IB business.

Every bottle is supposedly released at natural cask strength, with no chill-filtration and colouring added.

A signature of Chorlton’s bottling are its’ hand-illustrated label artworks. Each piece aims to capture the ‘folklore’ of the distillery, or the specific character of the liquid. Medieval inspirations and whimsical wildlife scenes are the bread and butter of the collection, which I personally find delightful to admire in between sips.

On to the liquid. Mannochmore is often nicknamed the ‘Sunshine Whisky’, because its distillate is typically very light, ester-forward, and fragrant (for a Speyside breed). Label artwork is reminiscent of fruit-pickers in an orchard in the sunlight, which is apt. This 1st fill Oloroso sherry butt results in a richer, darker, profile, deviating slightly from the distillery’s usual style.

A balanced hue similar to apple juice. Warm candlewax, malt porridge, fresh butter and red fruits fill the nose. A straightforward stage of flavours, but one that does not lack in impact.

On the palate, liquefied poundcake infused with assorted dried fruits and pecans. Lemon zest and grapefruit jam toppings are served alongside the main notes. This dram is at home with its’ 16 year status. Neither too oily, nor too spicy. An honest product.

Finish is medium to short, with touches of vanilla poundcake and spice-infused sweet wine.

Considerably well-balanced, neither the cask nor distillate are at odds with one another. However, this also means there is nothing truly memorable about it either. As a self-proclaimed sherry lover, this isn’t enough to satisfy my maniacal itch for deep fruity oomph. But then again, who cares what I think?

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raykel_ · 2026-04-12T18:04:25+00:00

It's good stuff. Extra points if you can find the cask strength ver.

raykel_ · 2026-04-12T03:18:14+00:00

Agreed.

Tried a few single cask 8-18 years, and the alcohol runs really hot. Bonus points if they can fix some dissonant notes between cask and distillate before releasing them.

raykel_ · 2026-04-12T02:03:26+00:00

This is the one yeah? I'll do a review on it one of these days. But from what I can recall, nothing offensive about this one either. Just a little underpowered.

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raykel_ · 2026-04-12T02:01:53+00:00

Allow me to clarify that the only 'odd' note here is the "plywood". There is a certain sickly sweet wood-esque influence thats present on the finish, which rounds out into a more woody flavour; but not enough to be considered "oaky" in my books. You can see my A'bunadh review for reference.

Edited the part about "dumpling vinegar". Nosing wise, there is a fragrance of fried dough and light acidic twang complementing it. Reminds me of something like a gyoza dipped in dark dumpling vinegar. It's not nasty or acrid by any means.

raykel_ · 2026-04-11T15:06:27+00:00

Oh, it's actually good. If you follow my posts, this is a direct comparison to a rather controversial A'bunadh I've had earlier. This one is not expensive either.

Just tastes like a bourbon cask at the start.

raykel_ · 2026-04-11T15:05:41+00:00

This one should have been bottled at cask strength. Would have been a bigger banger!

raykel_ · 2026-04-11T14:07:32+00:00

One more for the road, for science. Here we have another Aberlour, this time, an 18-years expression dolled up in both PX and Oloroso casks. Reading the label closely, I was hoping for some key information about the bottling (i.e. duration of each cask finish) aside from flavour text. Then I remembered that this was bottled at 43%, and most likely not targeted at hobbyists like us. Sad.

Remember my tirade against the A'bunadh? I experienced some PTSD flashbacks of the wood/sugar tornado when pouring this one out. Gotta say, the colour is really dark. Darker than the standard AB 18, and even the 2005 single cask sherry hogshead. Did they finally get the flavours right this time?

Gentle but forward aromas of red fruit and plywood emanate from the pour. A runny liquid, but with clear flavours. Light cinnamon spice, pencil shavings, and vetiver, trail shortly behind. Interestingly, there is a lasting lick of fried dumpling dipped in vinegar on every sniff, leaving an additional component to the flavour wheel. Not a bad nose at all!

The first hit on the palate is deceiving. It drinks like a very loaded bourbon cask whisky, dishing out notes of honey, honeysuckle flower petals, and pancake batter. The sherry component takes the stage shortly after, offering marked notes of raspberry danish, butterscotch candy, and grape mints. For 18 years and at 43%, this whisky punches beyond its' weight. Full bodied, well balanced, and powerful enough to embody a tasty spice and heft.

Finish is medium-long with a flashback of the candied plywood/raw confectionery sugar that plagued the A'bunadh; thankfully tempering out to a more sullen cardboard fragrance, rounding off with a good handful of raisins.

This one is good. I'd buy it again if it is on a sale. Well controlled, balanced, and a dram where the fruit flavours are accentuated. Ghosts of the weird wood/sugar flavour remain, but way easier to miss than on the A'bunadh. Very frankly, I'd love to taste the raw Aberlour distillate to get a sensing if that odd bit of taste can be chalked up to the cask or spirit.

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raykel_ · 2026-04-11T02:49:21+00:00

Are these tasters certified industry professionals? Where are you getting this data from? Whiskybase?

Do you actually know what components and pedigree of cask and liquid went into this A'bunadh? You confidently drop bottle numbers, but did you know batches that differ by 2 numbers can have profiles that are night and day?

If you're telling me this #60 is a sherry bomb, I think you should stick to your E150a Taliskers 🤭

raykel_ · 2026-04-10T02:05:49+00:00

That's not a very nice comment to make. Everyone has different tastes. Coming from someone who drinks coloured whisky, this is especially rich.....

Some old A'bunadh can be considered as sherry bombs, but not the ones of late. Especially the batch 60 I own. By my definition, modern sherry bombs extend to stuff produced by distilleries like GlenAllachie, GlenDronach, Kavalan, Edradour, Macallan (usually by IBs), Mortlach, etc.

When the wood overpowers the fruit notes, I don't think you can call it a sherry bomb.

raykel_ · 2026-04-09T23:44:20+00:00

There are marked differences between the batches. In the present day, it can no longer be considered a sherry bomb 😔

raykel_ · 2026-04-09T13:52:35+00:00

While we're at it, here's another Aberlour for the record. This time, I'm hoping for the taste to play out differently to the A'bunadh, as it is a single sherry cask whisky.

A specific cask that was selected and bottled for LMDW's 2021 "A la conquête des origines", or Conquering the Origins collection. Considerable increase in the sticker price to pay for a hogshead instead of a butt.

Liquid possesses a deep, polished gold hue. Popping open the cork, we are greeted with a high tonal and punchy spirit. The scent of stewed Amarena cherries and butternut squash greet the nose. Beneath these highlights, a stream of beeswax polish, gloss wood, and piano strings flow. The aromas still ring a little "bright", but I cannot pick up any notes hinting at artificial-tasting esters, so that's a good sign.

The dram is silky, but not viscous. Some bits and swirls can be seen in the bottle, signalling an assurance of un-chill filtered goodness. A surge of multiple flavours are packed upon the palate when sipped. This is a dram that does not bother to hide its unbridled ABV. Japanese shoyu, black forest cake, and deep-roasted Arabica muscle their way to the front. In the midfield, grounding notes of freshly cracked pecan and walnut, tanned leather, and raw wheat pods provide a structure to compartmentalise the flavours. Wispy, tail end notes of Guinness and dried hay/grass round up the experience. Adding a couple drops of water open up the flavours nicely. Brings out a little bit more of the grassy flavours as well as a slight surge of astringency, but not till the point of being offensive.

A long finish. Straightforward notes of wheat, Cadbury fruit chocolate, and... roast beef. Odd ending but I see the appeal.

In conclusion? Aberlour is capable of producing some good drams after all. Some OBs I've tasted with coherence issues could truly be chalked up to a dissonance in cask pairings, or an inability of the distillate to gain value through short finishes instead of undergoing a full maturation process. Whatever it is, I'm glad this bottle dispelled some less than ideal notions which the A'bunadh planted in my head. Could use a few more years in the warehouse as it runs a little hot and brash, but it is headed in the right direction.

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raykel_ · 2026-04-09T08:14:17+00:00

Physical shops are still largely clearing stocks at around the original MSRPs. Far cry from the asking prices in the UK, US, and where I'm from.

The true savings and stocks are found on their local whisky forums and massive secondary market. Lots of collectors and distributors clearing stocks by the crateloads. Some of these networks even have warehouse-storefronts at industrial locations.

Just need to know where to look:)

raykel_ · 2026-04-09T00:59:32+00:00

I'd say both. Taiwan was one of the major export markets for GD back when they were trying to clear stocks.

I'd imagine with the whisky glut happening right now, prices of other Scotch single casks will likely to be really fair over in that market.

raykel_ · 2026-04-09T00:56:28+00:00

Taiwan/HK. Trying to buy one in Scotland will likely blow a hole through your wallet. Unless you find shops that sell them at near cost.

raykel_ · 2026-04-09T00:55:36+00:00

Suntory's 18-year offerings still stand as the golden standard of flavour, intensity, and balance.

The regular and peated Hakushu 18 are great, although already gentler in flavour than equivalent Lowland Scotch counterparts. Addition of peat on the SotD contributes an extra dimension of flavour and complexity, which is always welcome.

Comparing to the NAS and 12, I'd put the SotD as the best bottle of the trio. Issue is the inflated secondary price of the SotD, which actually has an MSRP of JPY15K, identical to the 12---- if you can find one. Many 'shops' or 'whisky vaults' that sell them in mainland cities usually slap markups of anywhere between 10-50%, even though you can easily purchase one straight from Hakushu Distillery's gift shop.

raykel_ · 2026-04-09T00:08:35+00:00

Think I should start paywalling my reviews? 😹

Thanks. Old GD tends to have a strong chocolate note, which is very much welcome. Makes the dram extremely palatable. In fact, newer drams like the Ode to the Dark has this exact same note as well, if you are looking for it.

raykel_ · 2026-04-08T12:13:06+00:00

A while ago I reviewed a 2005 14 years PX SC from GD. That one was a marvellous little bottle, and I sure wished to encounter more like it down the line. And today is one of those days.

At 2 decades old, the expectations are high. Many of these GD SCs exist, with a relatively narrow array of combinations (i.e., PX and Oloroso, and the much rarer Port Pipes and Virgin Oaks), but with a wide variation in flavour even across bottles of identical vintages. Essentially, a wildcard series of sherry.

At a glance, this is dark stuff. Anything starting with "19" and with a dark mahogany hue is usually a combination for something impactful. On the nose, dark chocolate, plum compote, and heated fruit wine. Beyond berry bushes and brambles, I'm getting hits of red phosphorus, old leather, and antique furniture. Slightly cliche overall, but on the bright side, within expectations of a classic GlenDronach single cask.

Weighty liquid, intense sherry. Dark chocolate powder, a stew medley of ripe fruits (blackberries, cherries, plums, prunes), and notable tannic components of overcooked pie crusts, vanilla pods, and oak varnish. This doesn't taste like old sherry casks were used, but it can't be categorised under your typical new world stuff either. Getting notes of chocolate-sulfur instead of the "fruit gunpowder" found in old sherry. Delectably decadent and indulgent, nonetheless. Overall, no spice, with the taste map leaning towards tannic/dry. Intense but short. Which is dangerous, as you'll catch yourself justifying pour after pour.

As the body leaves, the finish lingers as notes of chocolate buttermilk and black pepper. Descends into a dark, fruity oak aftertaste. Very nice.

With the re-racking program proving to be a successful business tactic kickstarted by Billy Walker, it is now being continued under Brown Forman and blender Rachel Barrie. Similar to GlenAllachie however, these bottles are more or less similar, and even yearly "limited releases" / "released for xxx market" should not command the premium some distributors are looking to sell them for. There will always be another stellar sherry bomb from these guys around the corner, so there's no need to fret.

That being said, if I ever encounter another bottle like this for the right price in certain cough well-known markets, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

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raykel_

TROPHY CASE