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Three Ships 13 Year Old Cape Ruby Cask Finish Review

What happens when a South African whisky leans into its roots, pairing gentle peat with the rich sweetness of local Cape Ruby casks? The final release of the Three Ships' Master's Collection answers in spectacular fashion.

OVERALL RATING

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$60
  • Genevieve is a South African whisky enthusiast with a PhD in Philosophy and founder of Kenton on Whisky, a coastal tasting venture.
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Tasting Notes

About:

The Western Cape is famous for its vineyards and wine estates – but it could also be regarded as the home of South African whisky. Located in Wellington (just outside of Cape Town), the James Sedgwick Distillery is responsible for the creation of two of South Africa’s most well-known whisky brands: Three Ships and Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky. While the Bain’s range is made from a corn-based mash bill, the Three Ships range focuses primarily on blends, alongside a number of single malt releases.

Crafted by Master Distiller Andy Watts, Three Ships 13 Cape Ruby Cask Finish is the eighth and final release in the Master’s Collection series. This gently peated 13-year-old single malt was matured for eight years in American oak before spending a further five years finishing in seasoned Cape Ruby casks.

The peated malt used by Three Ships is imported from Scotland, lending a subtle smoky character to the spirit. Cape Ruby, meanwhile, is a South African fortified wine style similar to Portuguese Ruby Port, and its influence adds a distinctly local dimension to the maturation of this whisky.

Just five casks were selected for this release, bottled at a robust 53.6% ABV. This whisky was released in 2024, and limited to just 2,394 bottles. In addition to its hefty ABV, this single malt is non-chill filtered and natural colour – details that will appeal to enthusiasts who prefer minimal intervention.
Appearance:
Rich mahogany
Nose:
Initially sweet and fruity. Strawberries. A faint floral note, reminiscent of rose-flavoured Turkish delight. Cinnamon flavoured candy. Some furniture polish. There’s also something slightly tart lurking in the background, perhaps a hint of marmalade. The gentlest suggestion of woodsmoke – so gentle I’m almost not sure it’s even there.

I found that I detected a distinctive dill note once my glass was empty.
Palate:
A distinctive sweetness – like hardboiled candy. Some buttery toffee. A hint of ripe red fruit, and an earthy hay note. More woody flavours. Very faint woodsmoke. Quite a dry mouthfeel initially, but with the addition of a few drops of water the whisky becomes much softer and oilier in texture.
Finish:
A little drying, with faint, lingering smoke.
Comments:
I really enjoyed this whisky. It offers a complex but well-integrated range of aromas and flavours, with the red fruit sweetness from the Cape Ruby casks sitting comfortably alongside the gentle peat and oak influence. Despite its robust ABV, it remains approachable, particularly with a few drops of water, which soften the texture and allow the sweeter and fruitier notes to shine.

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.

Genevieve Jacot-Guillarmod

Genevieve is a whisky enthusiast from South Africa with a PhD in Philosophy, so she enjoys both drinking and thinking about whisky. She loves tasting new whiskies whenever she gets the chance - so much so that a few years ago she set up a small whisky tasting business, "Kenton on Whisky", in the tiny coastal town where she lives (this also serves as an excellent excuse to grow her selection of whiskies beyond reasonable limits).

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