The Crazy Cask Whisky Tastings with John Shearlock - Wednesday 13 August
Notes on the lineup…
Aberfeldy 15yo
Red Wine Cash Finish
43%
Maturation - Cabernet Sauvignon casks from Napa Valley (presumably American oak)
Region - Highlands
Style - Hoeneyed and waxy
Aberfeldy - One of the sweetest Scottish's single malts, Aberfeldy’s characteristic honeyed note is the result of very long fermentation, coupled with slow distillation.
Aberfeldy was founded by Dewars and Sons in 1896. It was solely used for blending for many years and didn’t become a single malt until late in the 19th century, once it had been sold from Diageo to Bacardi.
Lagavulin 12yo
Special Release 2023 -
56.4%
Maturation - Don Julio Anejo tequila casks (ex-bourbon casks that have aged tequila for a minimum of one year and up to a maximum of three years)
Region - Islay
Lagavulin - A long history dating back to 1816 when it was founded by John Johnston. It was actually built next to a distillery called Ardmore (nothing to do with today’s Ardmore) and eventually the two were combined
Malt Mill
Peter Mackie was one of the real characters of the late 1800s and early 1900s who was famous for created the White Horse blend and also co-founded Craigellachie distillery. He took over at Lagavulin and, when infuriated at losing agency with Laphroaig, proceeded to build a replica of Laphroaig on the Lagavulin site. It ran for many years but never produced anything close to the Laphroaig quality.
Tullibardine
‘The Murray’
Triple Port -
46%
Maturation - White port, tawny port and ruby port.
Region - Southern Highlands
Tullibardine - Tullibardine was famous for its heavy nutty style but since shifting to a focus on single malts and contributing less to blends, it has upped the floral, estery high toned notes and has invested heavily in new casks.
Aberfeldy Distillery, founded in 1896 by John Dewar & Sons and now owned by Bacardi, draws water from the Pitilie Burn. It uses a 7.5-ton lauter mash tun feeding 11 washbacks (8 larch, 3 stainless) with long 72–88-hour fermentations for a honeyed, fruity spirit. Four steam-heated copper stills (2 wash, 2 spirit) feature ascending lyne arms, promoting reflux and a lighter style, condensed via shell-and-tube condensers. Spirit runs are slow, yielding new-make at ~68–72% ABV. Annual capacity is ~3.4 million LPA, with most whisky destined for Dewar’s blends, though the single malt—marketed as “The Golden Dram”—is noted for its soft Highland character.
Singleton 14yo
Special Release 2023 -
55%
Maturation - Chardonnay de Bourgogne - French oak
Region - Speyside
Style - green and grassy
The Singleton whisky is made at three different distilleries owned by Diageo: Glen Ord, Dufftown, and Glendullan. The Singleton brand was created to bring these three single malts together, each with its own unique characteristics and target markets.
Glendullan - Glendullan Distillery, founded in 1897 in Dufftown, Speyside, produces a light, delicate single malt often used in blends like Old Parr. Now part of Diageo’s portfolio, it’s known for its grassy, fruity character. Modern, yet traditional, Glendullan balances efficiency with Speyside malt charm.
Glenglassaugh
Octaves Classic Batch 2 -
44%
Maturation - Bourbon, Pedro Ximénez and Amontillado octave casks
Region - Speyside
Glenglassaugh is found on the north Speyside coast within a kilometer of the sea. The distillery leans into tradition and depth using extended fermentation (up to 96 hrs), which promotes a fruity, ester-rich character. The old-school mash tun and minimal interference during mashing promote a robust sugar profile for conversion. A deliberately inverted still setup (spirit still larger than wash still) reflects a tailored, artisanal production ethic.
Amrut
Spectrum 004
Single Malt
50%
Maturation - Initial maturation in ex-Bourbon oak for three years - then transferred to a custom-made barrel for three and a half years. This consisted of five oak types: American oak with level three charring, French limousin oak with a soft toasting, an ex-oloroso sherry stave, and an ex-Pedro Ximenes sherry stave.
Region - India
Amrut - Amrut Distilleries, founded in 1948 in Bangalore, India, began bottling single malt in 2004, pioneering Indian whisky on the global stage. Using six-row Indian barley (and some peated Scottish malt), the distillery employs long fermentations of around 96 hours to encourage tropical fruit esters. Pot stills feature upward-sloping lyne arms, promoting reflux for a lighter spirit. Maturation occurs in Bangalore’s hot, high-altitude climate, accelerating aging in ex-bourbon, virgin oak, sherry, and occasional wine casks. This regime yields rich, fruity, and spice-laden whiskies, with rapid wood integration. Amrut is celebrated for its bold cask experiments and ability to produce maturity well beyond its years.
