Distillery Dive #80: Speyside Spring

Tucked away in the quaint village of Rothes, in Scotland’s Speyside region, Distillery #80 produces truly wonderful whisky which is rarely available in single cask, cask strength form. This release is a particularly bright and well-textured pair of malts brimming with complexity. Let’s discover just what complexities are in store for us as we examine two casks both distilled on the same day and aged 9 years in first-fill ex-bourbon hogsheads. The resultant single malts whisk us away to the River Spey in springtime, offering so much freshness and nuance! Cask No. 80.26 Casual scoffing is a perfect expression of the “Sweet, Fruity & Mellow” flavour profile, displaying honeyed and malty aromas before a silken palate of marzipan, lychee and custard takes hold. A delightful start to Flight #80! The “Spicy & Sweet” Cask No. 80.27 Among the flower garden impresses with loads of citrus and floral notes balanced by sweet sponge cake and savoury herbs. The duo offers unique expressions from this rarely seen distillery and provides a unique opportunity to learn about the impact of wood maturation on whisky! The only way to take this dive is to taste side-by-side, so we have created this bundle to share with your curious whisky-loving friends. We trust your discovery will be an utterly delicious and richly rewarding one.... Slàinte!

Cask No. 80.26 - Casual scoffing
Date distilled: January 2012
Cask: First-fill hogshead
Age: 9 years
Alcohol: 59.9%
Region: Speyside Spey

Tasting Note: An easy and entertaining nose we thought, giving impressions of old custard creams rattling around a biscuit tin. Then shoe polish, new leather, pollens and yellow flowers. Easy, simple and charming. Water brought out canvass, crumbled oatcakes, runny honey, crushed nettles and lemon curd. The mouth displayed an initial richness of olive oil, then a sweeter aspect with icing sugar, marzipan and custard made with dessert wine. Reduction brought lychee cordial, apricot flapjack, orange travel sweets and condensed milk.

Cask No. 80.27 - Among the flower garden
Date distilled: January 2012
Cask: First-fill hogshead
Age: 9 years
Alcohol: 58.6%
Region: Speyside Spey

Tasting Note: The floral, fruity nose gave us – ‘cape gooseberries in a garden centre’, ‘Ribena on the tennis court’, and ‘sabayon among the buttercups’. The palate was juicy, sweet, fruity and zesty – honey and golden syrup, lemon drizzle cake, tinned fruit cocktail, blood orange, marmalade and brandy snaps. On the reduced nose we got honeysuckle and wild-flower meadows, sherbet lemons, clementines, hints of tobacco and new leather sandals. The palate now went down as easy as confectionery – lime pastilles, jelly beans, jam sponge and lemon and poppy seed muffins – a waxy mouth-feel and a warming finish of pepper, peppermint, cinnamon and cardamom.