From smoke bombs distilled on the rugged shores of Islay, to the complex and fruity sherry monsters produced in the heart of the Highlands, cask is everything when it comes to finishing a whisky. It’s here where so much depth, flavour, and complexity is imparted, along with that trademark old oak wisdom that we all know and love.
Cask, it turns out, is every bit as integral to whisky production as the mash bill, water selection, and yeast choice. In fact, many would argue that it’s even more so, and I’d be inclined to agree. Cask finishing can make or break a whisky. In order for distillers, independent bottlers, and everyone in between, to make their drams stand out however, it’s sometimes necessary to be bold and brave.
Rather than simply playing it safe with bourbon and sherry casks, whisky producers these days are throwing caution to the wind and experimenting with casks and barrels which once held a plethora of different liquids. Think tequila, tawny port, madeira wine, rum, and even stout, and you’re on the right lines.
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Being privileged enough to have done what I do for so long, I’ve been fortunate enough to sample some truly unique whiskies, finished in the most unusual ways. While virtually all hit the mark in one way or another, a select few knocked it out the park. It’s these I want to focus on today.
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Here are 4 unique whisky cask finishes that completely blew my mind.
Glenmorangie The Nectar 16 Year Old
This is a dram with Dr Bill Lumsden written all over it. Those familiar with his work will know what a true magician he is. The ‘Mad Scientist of Whisky’ is one of the most innovative names in the biz, and his list of achievements doesn’t just speak volumes, it bellows them through a loudspeaker.
Every Kirkland Bourbon Ranked, From Worst to Best
READ THE STORYA few years back, I was lucky enough to sample a dram from Glenmorangie called ‘The Nectar’. It was sweet, it was syrupy, it was rich, and it felt like a naughty treat. This was one of Dr Lumsden’s many creations, and was inspired by a trip to a pastry shop in France. Need I say more?
In 2023, Glenmorangie announced that they were discontinuing this dram, and I, like many others, was a bit gutted. Lucky, a successor quickly stepped up, in the form of Glenmorangie The Nectar 16 Year Old.
This is a single malt aged for 14 years in bourbon casks, before undergoing an additional two years’ worth of finishing in a combination of sweet white wine casks, including a Monbazillac, French Sauternes, Spanish Moscatel, and a Hungarian Tokaji. The end result is a fruity, syrupy dram packed full of notes of stewed apples, whipped French vanilla cream, buttery choux pastry, candied almonds, honeycomb, and chocolate orange mousse.
The Balvenie 14 Year Old Caribbean Cask
It wasn’t too long ago that the thought of implementing rum cask finishing in whisky production was considered one of the most outrageous things you could do. It raised eyebrows, it got a lot of attention, but ultimately, it turned out to be a great success.
This particular dram was the brainchild of David C. Stewart, Balvenie malt master, who actually produced his own unique blend of Caribbean rums, to fill into casks, before replacing the rum in question with delicious Balvenie whisky which had originally been aged in traditional oak casks.
Having won multiple awards over the years, if you enjoy the sweet and spicy notes you get from a West Indian rum, you’re going to love this dram. It features plenty of tropical fruit notes, balanced beautifully with creamy vanilla, caramel, citrus, cardamon, nutmeg, and candied stem ginger.
Lagavulin 11 Year Old Offerman Edition Guinness Cask Whisky
Produced in partnership with the fantastically talented actor Nick Offerman, this is a smoky Islay malt that has no business being as rich, creamy, and decadent as it is.
The perfect America, Ireland, and Scotland crossover, it features an 11 year old smoky Islay single malt that undergoes an additional finishing period of 4 months in casks sourced from Dublin, that once stored dark, creamy, chocolaty, delicious Guinness.
This is a dram that is very smoke-forward, as you might expect. Once that sweet and smoky Lagavulin malt meets that rich and brooding Guinness cask however, it completely transforms. You get smoke, you get a creamy richness with fantastic body, you get a hint of earth from the peat, and you get plenty of roasted coffee beans, dark chocolate, sea salted caramel, and rich vanilla fudge with a gentle orange citrus undertone.
Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series London
Finally, heading Stateside, via London, we have Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series London Edition.
This is a retail travel exclusive 55.4% cask strength bourbon featuring Maker’s Mark Cask Strength bourbon whiskey finished in 10 bespoke virgin oak staves that were specially selected by renowned cocktail expert Ryan Chetiyawardana and professional chef Douglas McMaster.
This collaboration was designed to reflect the charm and culture of Old London Town, and after sampling for myself, it’s safe to say that I was pleasantly surprised. For those who enjoy the spicy, woodiness that oak imparts, this is a lovely drop. It’s bold and complex with notes of tobacco, leather, burnt orange, toffee, vanilla, and honey, with a sweet, spicy, and woody finish.
