Scotch

Whisky Review: Orphan Barrel Forager’s Keep

We review Orphan Barrel Forager’s Keep, a 26 year old single malt whisky from the shuttered Pittyvaich distillery that represents the first Scotch in Diageo's Orphan Barrel line up.

OVERALL RATING

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Orphan Barrel Forager’s Keep

Tasting Notes

About:

100% malted barley, 26 years old, distilled at the former Pittyvaich Distillery, 96 proof, $400 for a 750mL.
Appearance:
Light straw, appealingly light to swirl, quick legs.
Nose:
banana and clove, green peach, pleasant turpentine and golden plums.
Palate:
Sweet honey suckle and golden raisins, relatively light given the age but turns into a mouth coating experience after a few sips. Oily, with tropical fruit and light spice such as cinnamon. A bit of vanilla and baked apple is present as well. Warm, fruity and very welcoming.
Finish:
Comments:
It’s a bit like the Christmas in the South. Warm and welcoming, like drinking spiced tea near a wood burning stove. It’s a very friendly whisky, as it has had plenty of time to mellow in the barrel. Complexity is there, and it is carried very well at the ABV. It really is a different bottling than the other Orphan Barrels, and I like that. rnrnThe price is ridiculously high without knowing the production output, but that is what Orphan Barrel does (for better or for worse.) Long story short, worth trying if you can afford it.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Cameron Holck

After graduating with an engineering degree in Colorado, Cameron Holck found his true calling in the hospitality industry. He pursued his love of the outdoors to the Pacific Northwest, where he continues his dedication to bartending and serves as a sales representative for Four Roses Bourbon. Cameron believes that a night out is defined by the quality of hospitality and strives to enhance that experience with a fantastic drink (likely whiskey) in your hand.

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