There is no shortage of different cask finishes in the whisky industry. From Oloroso sherry to red wine casks, whisky enthusiasts with a penchant for adventure can journey through many different finishes to find their favorites. If you haven’t yet explored all of these different finishes, never fear.
Below I have put together a list of whiskies with unique cask finishes, some of which are new and novel, and some that have had an unrivaled impact on the whisky industry. So, let’s dive into some of my favorite cask-finished whiskies.
Glenmorangie Nectar D’or
BUY NOW: $62
One of the first brands, if not the first brand to ever showcase the change in flavor that cask finishing can do to a vat of whisky. Glenmorangie has shown off everything from sherry, port, rye casks, and most famously with this, ex-Sauternes wine casks.
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A sweet Bordeaux wine that uses noble rot to amplify the sugar content of the grape. Providing a wonderfully sweet, melon-driven style of wine that works so well on whisky spirit.
Glenmorangie is famed for being the tallest still in Scotland, as a result, this allows really consistent penetration across all of the ex-bourbon casks that they mature their whiskies in for the first decade or so of maturation.
Once that period is up, they transfer their liquid into a huge range of casks to give their spirit as big an appeal as possible.
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If you’re ever in need of a summertime single malt, or if you just want something sweet and easygoing, Glenmorangie is the way to go.
Caol Ila Distillers Edition
BUY NOW: $65 (2023 Edition)
For something a little peatier, Caol Ila isn’t necessarily the first port of call for cask finishing in the Isle of Islay, but this is one of the most consistent releases I’ve tried over the years.
This moderately peated whisky is finished in ex-Moscatel wine casks, that sweet wine cask to help develop some more contrasting flavors to what is already a potent smelling and tasting liquid in Caol Ila.
Not the peatiest liquid from Islay, but can still assert its presence in a big way. If the smokiness and sweetness are your thing then Caol Ila Distillers Edition is certainly a place to look for something a little more unusual and consistent from the Isle of Islay.
Mossburn 12 Year Old Blended Malt
BUY NOW: $80
A blended malt to delight your palate! Mossburn, an independent bottler and owner of Torabhaig Distillery on the Isle of Skye, is known for its passion and creativity in cask-strength blended malts.
This particular release combines Speyside single malts from undisclosed distilleries, finished in ex-FourSquare Barbados rum casks.
Bottled at cask strength, it offers a refreshingly unique profile, with vibrant pineapple notes and cask spice. It’s certainly worth exploring if you can get your hands on it.
The Dalmore King Alexander III
BUY NOW: $306
Here we have a trendsetter, a record-setter, even. When The Dalmore released the King Alexander III it was the first ever bottle of whisky to feature six separate cask maturations across the liquid.
Richard Patterson of The Dalmore fame is a fan of many different styles of cask influences, this is very easily seen across The Dalmore’s modern range of whisky. Regarding the King Alexander III, though, the cask influences going into this liquid are as follows:
- Ex-Bourbon Casks
- Ex-Matusalem Oloroso Sherry Casks
- Ex-Madeira Wine Casks
- Ex-Marsala Wine Casks
- Ex-Port Pipes
- Ex-Cabernet Sauvignon Wine Casks.
An incredible selection of styles and variety across this Dalmore release, and a word of warning from me about this one. This liquid can seem extremely quiet when it is first popped and poured into a glass of your choosing. Do allow this liquid to breathe a little bit in the glass beforehand, as once it does you are in for a maple-soaked, blackberry, chocolate experience that will leave you wanting more for quite a long time.
Glenfiddich 29 Year Old Grand Yozakura
BUY NOW: $1,730
This is a particularly unusual example of any type of cask finish. This Glenfiddich has been matured for most of its life in ex-American and European oak casks, it is then finished in 25 Awamori casks.
Awamori is a spirit made from fermented long grain indica rice, sourced mostly from Okinawa in Japan. The name itself ‘Grand Yozakura’ means ‘cherry blossom viewing at night’ – this is all exemplified by that beautiful rotating inner box that showcases the bottle in its full glory!
With a flavor profile of gentle caramel, sweet apples, and an almost fortified wine-style sweetness to it, you have to give respect to Glenfiddich for releasing something as unusual as this. It’s odd to see such a big brand release something so experimental and out of the box.
Although Glenfiddich has developed a reputation with their Experimental Series over the years, this belongs to the Grand Rele Series, a showcase of Glenfiddich’s older, more experimental stocks with much fancier presentation and generally higher alcohol percentages, too.
It’s a bold and unique release from one of the biggest distilleries and brands of spirit in the world.
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