In my previous Kilchoman post, I anticipated my plan for the first few weeks of the year to focus on Cask Strength whisky. Why Cask Strenght next? The original plan was to plunge into the topic following the “basics”. That is, ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry cask, peated and funky entry-level whiskies, and blends. But, as I revealed previously, all those new distilleries caught my attention. So, it’s time to get back on track. Today, I will review the Old Perth Cask Strength.
It is time for Cask Strength whiskies in this “Full ABV ahead” series. A favourite by many who love them for their punchy and concentrated flavours. And because it is, arguably, the purest way to taste a whisky. Some also fear them because of their high ABV. So, it is time to spend some time getting to know Cask Strength Scotch. My first stop in this category is a great value blended malt whisky.
TL:DR: A rich, sherried Speysider proving that there is still value to be found at a fair price.
Score*: 7, very good stuff
Old Perth: old brand, new identity
Old Perth is an old brand of blended whisky which achieved a certain reputation before disappearing from the market. In 2014 it was brought back to life by the company now known as Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers (MSWD). More about them in a moment. Like many blends, Old Perth was created by a wine and spirits merchant, Peter Thomson, based, unsurprisingly, in Perth, Scotland. According to the brand’s website, it was held in high esteem in the ‘60s thanks to its high malt content. Its demise in the ‘70s makes me wonder how factual that statement is.
Be as it may, MSWD purchased the brand in 2014 and relaunched it as a blended malt made only with Speyside spirit aged in Sherry casks. The lineup of Old Perth bottlings today comprises the Classical, a double Sherry wood version (Oloroso and PX), the Cask Strength I will review today and a 12-year-old. There have been some Vintage releases, most recently the 1996 edition, and some special editions focusing on specific Sherry cask maturation like the Manzanilla and the Palo Cortado.
What is cask strength? Addressing a few misconceptions
If you are new to Scottish Whisky, the concept of cask strength might generate some confusion. At first glance, Cask Strenght is often associated with high ABV. yet it is not a designation for a specific alcoholic strength. Sometimes, I have seen the term used for a whisky bottled directly from the cask it was aged in, which is not always true. A cask-strength whisky from a single cask will fit this description. But many cask-strength whiskies are made in huge volumes and are therefore made vatting multiple casks together. So, the meaning of cask strength, independent if the spirit has come from one cask or multiple casks vatted together, is fundamentally a whisky which has not been diluted with water to reduce the ABV.
If you are wondering how large outruns of cask-strength whiskies are released at a consistent ABV, the secret is vatting, as this Words of Whisky post explains in more detail. And in case you are still wondering about Cask Strength and ABV, keep in mind that the older the whisky gets (at least in Scotland), the lower the ABV will be, so you can absolutely get Cask Strength whiskies with ABVs just over 40% (but not under, according to the SWA rules).
Morrison Distillers – past and future
While I was researching for this post, I ended up spending quite some time on MSWD, Old Perth’s parent company. Their story is an intriguing one, So, before jumping to the review of the Old Perth Cask Strength, I wanted to share some of the history of a family which has held a relevant role in the industry for decades and seems poised to do so in the future.
Today MSWD is known to many whisky fans as the company independently bottling the Carn Mor and MacTalla lines. While independent bottling makes up the core of business today, its past and future are rooted in distilling. The company, under its previous name of Morrison & Mackay, at its height owned Bowmore, Auchentoshan and Glen Garioch distilleries. These were sold to Bean Suntory in 1994. But that was not the end of the company’s involvement in whisky distillation.
In 2017, the company started distillation at the new Aberargie distillery in Perthshire. The site has a pretty substantial production capacity, at 750,000 lpa, although actual production today is likely only part of the maximum potential. No whisky has been released to the public yet, waiting instead for the spirit to reach its maturity. What is known is that the style will likely be more full-bodied than the classic Lowland style, also thanks to the use of Golden Promise barley. This barley variety has a cult status among aficionados due to its ability to deliver a rich mouthfeel and aromas, at the expense of yield during production. And if you want more of a deep dive on this barley variety scroll to the end of this Dramface review.
And now time to review the Old Perth Cask Strength!
Old Perth Cask Strength
Specs
Price paid: €39.90
Lot/bottled date: N.A.
ABV: 58.6%
Natural colour: Yes
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Casks Used and Blend components: No information is provided beyond that this is Speyside malt matured in Sherry casks
Tasting Notes**
Colour: Dark gold, veering toward amber. Great to know this is all natural.
Nose: Rich, clearly sherry-led, but not a sherry bomb. The alcohol is slightly aggressive but not to the point of detracting from the aromas. At first sniff, my mind goes to British Christmas bakes: mince pies and Ecchlefechan tart. It has the baked apples, spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves) and raisins of mince pies, but also the treacle, cherries and nuts -plus a hint of vinegar- of Echlefecchan tarts. And the buttery pastry from both. The sherry casks also give just a touch of rubber and some typical orange oil and dark chocolate notes. Almost makes me want to start Christmas baking all over again.
With water, the slight sulphuric rubber note fades away quickly. It becomes sweeter, with the fudge turning into heather honey. The spice notes, ginger, cinnamon, and white pepper, become more prominent as do the citrus peel and dried fruit notes: now raisins and figs, dried cherries.
Taste and finish: Richly flavoured, medium mouthfeel and, to be expected, a bit hot due to the abv. The malt component is a lot more evident, with a big hit of creamy Ovaltine. Then there is a buffet of Sherry driven notes: milk chocolate, ginger and cinnamon, treacle, orange peel, hazelnut, and a bit of mocha.
The finish is long, with fudge and even a touch of honey to start. Then dried fruit (raisins, currants, cherries, ginger and cinnamon, orange oil, and a slightly drying woody mouthfeel.
Adding water doesn’t significantly change the taste profile. The notes I get remain pretty consistent and slightly less concentrated. If anything the spicy notes become more prominent and the sweetness is reduced making it less rounded than it is when undiluted .
Score*: 7, very good stuff… and you could argue for more if you consider the price.
In the past months, I have become more and more convinced that in today’s whisky scene, where price increases and premiumisation have become the sad norm, blended malts are the best segment for drinkers looking for a great quality/price ratio. The old Perth Cask Strength just confirmed this. I am surprised this doesn’t get more hype. It might not be the most complex or sophisticated of sherried whiskies, but you won’t hear me complain about it. Especially when this is so moreish. And while price is not something I considered in my vote, it is hard not to be swayed by the fact that this is available on the European market around the 45€ price consistently, and, on offer, under 40€. We need more whiskies like this (and like Signatory’s 100 proof series) to fight the rising enshittification…if you know, you know.
* Scores are based on the scoring scale used by Dramface, slightly modified to allow half-points
**Note: I don’t usually like to add water to my 40-50% ABV drams, but with cask strength whiskies it is part of the experience and can reveal other sides of the spirit. So you will find notes both before and after the addition of water, usually about 5ml in a 25ml dram.
After writing my tasting notes, I always find it interesting to look at other opinions. Here are a few other reviews of Old Perth Cask Strength enjoyed:
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