Saturday 21 April 2012

Whisky Discovery #73

Cutty Sark 18 Year Old (43% abv)
Blended Scotch Whisky
circa £57.00 70cl


And so onto dram number three of the Cutty Sark Tweet Tasting.

Their website states: Cutty Sark 18 Years Old is a luxurious Scotch whisky of inspirational quality for successful, consumers who look beyond the obvious. Cutty Sark 18 Years Old is distinguished by its elegant balance and a long smooth finish.

Kirsteen told us the nose is rich with citrus fruits and honey plus vanilla (the DNA of the range) but when we talk about sherry here for Cutty Sark, we're talking American oak rather than European oak. The American oak gives us the vanilla hit. European oak is giving it that spicy undertone, but to a lesser degree.

Another great nose on this whisky and the tweets came in thick and fast:

  • @LRWhisky 18 is like a mellowed fruitcake with hints of ginger and cloves on the nose
  • @boardsy can anyone else smell toasted hot cross buns?
  • @TheWhiskyWire Absolutely and the citrus peels in the said toasted Hot Cross buns
  • @rodbodtoo Biscuits? Buns? Have you not had your tea yet?
  • @rborghma what are toasted hot cross buns ? Not familiar with those in Belgium :-(
Tweet Tasting  Cutty Sark 18 Year Old
So what did I think?
Colour: Deep amber, drawn from the sherry seasoned casks the whisky has aged in

Nose:  Another fine nose! Sherried peels, and a softly peated aroma, definitely no seaweed though. Christmas cake. Malt, medium Sherry and a hint of sweet wood smoke. With time, caramel and discreet liquorice notes emerge,

Palate: Vanilla, dark brown sugar, rum spice, sherry. Rich and bright, and elegantly balanced, nice!

Finish: The finish is long and smooth, fruitcake, buttery, fudge, oak.

Deliciously drinkable! Perhaps this could have been bottled at a slightly higher abv, but this is another stunning whisky and certainly worth seekeing out. I have recently read something like “A fine old blend can be considered in the same way as a great single malt.” This blend would certainly fit this statement.

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