Having lately turned 40, I can say with nice certainty that some issues most undoubtedly get higher with age. Now, we received’t discuss my knees, or the truth that one thing so simple as sneezing too laborious can go away me bed-ridden for per week, however for probably the most half I stand by that sentiment. Particularly in terms of whisky.
Aged whisky, as you understand, is in big demand and usually calls for the next price ticket. Ought to one discover themselves lucky sufficient to be sitting on a big inventory of the stuff, this will surely current various thrilling alternatives to create some superb whisky. Because it seems, that’s exactly what the Gordon household, homeowners of William Grant & Sons, have been doing for shut to at least one century now.
For practically 100 years, the Gordon household have been laying down shares of aged whisky in warehouses throughout Scotland. This assortment of whisky is named the Home of Hazelwood, named after Hazelwood Home, their Dufftown household house, and has turn into the biggest stock of aged Scotch whisky on the planet!
I’m a giant fan of a Home of Hazelwood launch, so once I heard about their Warehouse Reserve Sequence, kicking off with a 36-year-old, I needed to discover out extra.
Uncommon, Unique, and Restricted!
Every time a Home of Hazelwood launch drops, you simply know that it’s going to be one thing particular. There’s so much to like about this model, however what I actually love is the truth that their whisky is solely prepared when it’s prepared.
With such an enormous inventory of whisky accessible throughout Scotland, every expression is totally distinctive to the final. They merely launch every batch when the time is correct. This might be after 18 years, it might be after 51 years, it might be after 47 years, or on this occasion, it might be after 36 years.
Sourced from the Gordon household’s non-public dunnage warehouse in Dufftown, this 36-year-old blended malt is proscribed to simply 150 bottles and is barely accessible through invitation. This new Warehouse Reserve sequence is producing a variety of buzz within the trade for the time being and is devoted to the drams sourced from the Gordon household’s non-public warehouses throughout Scotland’s many whisky areas.
The whisky itself is barely solely accessible to associates of the Home of Hazelwood. This contains guests to the home, in addition to company who’ve loved warehouse experiences and personal tastings. Speak about unique!
Home of Hazelwood 36-Yr-Outdated Warehouse Reserve Blended Malt (Batch 1)
As you’ll be able to see, this isn’t your ordinarily run-of-the-mill blended malt whisky. This can be a particular drop, however that’s at all times to be anticipated with the Home of Hazelwood. Ever since William Grant & Sons launched the Home of Hazelwood label again in 2022, every expression has been extra decadent than the final.
Now, William Grant & Sons haven’t given a lot away relating to how this whisky was produced. We all know that it’s a 36-year-old blended Scotch matured in Dufftown, however we don’t know the exact variety of casks used, or the precise cask varieties used. What we do know nonetheless, is that that is the epitome of a sherry monster because it was matured in European oak sherry casks. Within the phrases of Eilidh Muir, Home of Hazelwood blender, this can be a ‘celebration of sherry cask maturation’.
Bottled at 51.4% ABV, there’s loads of heat right here. It additionally has an incredible chestnut brown color to it. It simply appears to be like luxurious and decadent, particularly with their branding, which I’m a giant fan of.
As it’s so restricted, official tasting notes are missing considerably, however there’s nonetheless greater than sufficient data on the market for me to provide you an in depth preview.
On the nostril, this dram is claimed to function distinguished sherry cask notes. There’s dried fruits, tart and candy maraschino cherries, black treacle and molasses, freshly roasted espresso beans, and floral undertones with a touch of rosewater.
On the palate, you’ll be able to anticipate a candy and fruity tasting expertise, once more closely influenced by the sherry cask maturation. It’s wealthy, fruity, and sophisticated, with loads of dried fruits, winter baking spices, calmly toasted oak, and orange blossom honey.
For many who take pleasure in a prolonged, drawn-out end, that is stated to be exceptionally lengthy and warming. Once more, you’ll be able to anticipate dried fruits, pink grapes, calmly spiced oak, in addition to a barely nutty, darkish chocolate affect which you typically discover with closely sherried drams.
I want I might provide you with a extra detailed set of tasting notes, however that’s what occurs if you’re coping with one thing so uncommon and unique. I’ve to say, simply scripting this evaluation has acquired my mouth watering. As you understand, I like a sherry monster so that is proper up my road.
For these lucky sufficient to be able to choose up a bottle, they retail for the princely sum of £1,650 as of this writing. To me, for one thing this particular and distinctive, I don’t suppose that’s too dangerous in any respect.
When you’d wish to study extra about your favorite whiskies, or just deal with your self to a dram or two within the course of, head on over to GreatDrams.com and try the varied choice of distinctive whiskies we at the moment have in inventory.
With a powerful choice of limited-edition, uncommon, and award-winning whisky, in addition to heaps of whisky data on our weblog, it’s the right spot for any whisky lovers on the market.
