Out tasting notes
79. Speyburn Clan Germany Tasting
Speyburn Bradan Orach 40% 1.75L (Whiskybase ID: 273360)
Nose: A fresh first impression, characterised by light fruitiness - mainly pear, ripe, almost juicy. Behind this is a young, slightly cheesy note, reminiscent of a not yet fully matured cheese. Subtle nutty notes, a hint of light wood and a certain straightforwardness of the barley, which is raw and unpolished. The influence of the cask is limited and sometimes brings with it small impurities - not disturbing, but present.
Mouth: The whisky remains restrained and simple on the palate. The barley remains the main protagonist, accompanied by sweet barley sugar and a reminder of ready-made vanilla sauce from the packet - familiar, but not very complex. The spirit of the New Make resonates in the background: slightly metallic, young, somewhat unbalanced. Pepper provides a brief stimulus before green grapefruit adds a bitter freshness.
Comments: An uncomplicated dram that doesn't linger for long. Quick in the glass, quick in the mouth, quickly gone again - and perhaps that's why it's just right for a rustic cup of coffee. No depth, but no claim to more either. A whisky that promises nothing - and therefore does not disappoint.
Speyburn 18yo 50% Rum Cask (Whiskybase ID: 6066)
Nose: A bold start: rum immediately, loud and clear. Dark raisins, soaked overnight in alcohol, plus a hint of ester, as you would expect from a Caribbean distillery. Grated ginger adds freshness, while cake spices and a hint of instant peach tea create a sweet and spicy depth. Vanilla weaves its way through the picture, but a medicinal tone emerges again and again - sticking plaster, slightly phenolic but not dominant.
Mouth: The intensity remains - powerful and full of character. The rum influence is concise, but not sweet, rather tart, dry and demanding. A damp cardboard box resonates - an unusual, almost dusty note that occupies the palate. Ester and ash, cool and slightly bitter, define the middle section. Wood brings dryness, no vanilla sweetness, but a serious, almost ascetic structure. The finish is long and remains tart.
Comments: A rum finish that dares to be its own thing. No sugar-coating, no Caribbean kitsch - but a raw, honest exchange between cask and whisky. The dryness and the cool, almost brittle notes demand attention, perhaps even patience. But those who muster it will be rewarded with a character dram that redefines the rum finish - more serious, deeper, more uncompromising than many of its sweeter counterparts.