Signatory, Secret Speyside (M) 2008
Signatory cannot reveal the distillery this 18-year-old single malt Scotch whisky hails from, but has given us some tantalizing clues. Apparently it's a Speyside distillery, west of Craigallachie, begins with the letter 'M', and has an affinity with sherry casks. Does that leave you in any doubt? Well, it really shouldn't. Aged in first-fill oloroso sherry casks, this independent bottling offers a full-bodied sherry bomb at a punchy 57.1% – and at startlingly good value, too.
Nose
Spiced fruit, walnut, European oak
Palate
Dried fruit, Christmas spices, aged oak
Finish
Dates, dark chocolate, European oak
A truly outstanding cask of Speyside – read that as Macallan – from Signatory. The balance, complexity, and richness on offer, alongside the broad-shouldered oloroso sherry, dark chocolate, rich nuttiness, and dark brown sugar, make one reminisce of Macallans of yesteryear – bold-yet-inviting; warming-yet-deeply beguiling. At under £90 ($110), this bottling sets a profound benchmark for whiskies of this age and invites the question: why aren't the distillers themselves taking notice of quite how well the independents are doing when it comes to cask selection and bottling process? An absolute bargain for the Macallan drinkers out there.
Style
Details
Signatory, Secret Speyside (M) 2008
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