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30th September 2024 |
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Review of the
latest batch of Ferg & Harris Scotch
single cask, single malt whisky releases
including 2 Craigellachie 15 Year Olds
each initially matured in the same
Amontillado Sherry butt then split into
two different finishing casks, a Tormore
11 Year Old, Longmorn 12 Year Old and a
peated Bunnahabhain 14 Year Old matured
in a Oloroso cask and finished in a
Sauternes barrique.
Edinburgh based
single cask, single malt whisky brand
Ferg & Harris has unveiled a new
collection of five single cask Scotch
whiskies for 2024, each showcasing a distinctive
cask wood finish for a truly unique
experience.
Although the Ferg & Harris single cask whisky brand was
only launched in 2022 the company has
quickly become known for their
ability to source some of the rarest and
most sought-after single casks from
distilleries across Scotland, the Ferg &
Harris team carefully selects and pairs
each whisky with an innovative finishing
cask to elevate its flavour and
complexity.
The result is a series of
limited-edition whiskies, celebrated
worldwide for their taste
and craftsmanship. This latest batch,
marking the first Ferg & Harris release
of 2024, is what I will be reviewing
here.
This latest Ferg & Harris batch of Scotch single cask, single
malt whiskies includes one Islay and
four Speyside whiskies from the renowned
distilleries of Bunnahabhain,
Craigellachie, Tormore and Longmorn.
In a first for the brand, Ferg & Harris
presents a 15 Year Old Craigellachie
initially matured in an Amontillado
Sherry butt, then split into two
different finishing casks—one Virgin Oak
and one White Port. While these "sister"
whiskies share the fruity warmth of
their sherry origins, each has developed
its own distinct character, thanks to
the Ferg & Harris team's cask mastery.
The other three whiskies in this release
are a Tormore 11 Year Old initially matured in first fill bourbon
barrels and finished in virgin oak,
a Longmorn 12 Year
Old initially matured in first
fill bourbon barrels and finished in
white port and a peated Bunnahabhain 14
Year Old initially
matured in a second fill Oloroso hogshead
and finished in a Sauternes barrique.
You will find the current
Ferg & Harris whisky range available from specialist online whisky
shops such as
The Whisky Exchange
and
Master of Malt
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Ferg & Harris Tormore 11 Year Old
Single Cask Review
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Matured in first fill bourbon barrels
and finished in virgin oak. Non-chill
filtered, naturally coloured and bottled at
63.3% ABV.
A single cask which produced 205
bottles. RRP £89.99.
William
Morrison's
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Sweet
coconut, custard cream, some apple,
touch of lemon and a little spice lurking in
the background.
Taste: A
lovely barley sugar, vanilla and honey sweetness
leads, followed by a gentle mix of candied and poached pear, a
touch of zesty orange, a little grassy,
and some lovely late oak spice, ginger and pepper.
Finish: Refreshingly long.
The barley sugars are still on top, vanilla and mildly
candied zesty orange fruit which bows
out first to leave gentle ginger, pepper
and oak spices to have the final word.
Comment:
A deliciously moreish example of a
Tormore with the barley laid on thick
but kept in check by the oak and the
whole pleasure experience is undoubtedly
enhanced by the flavoursome cask
strength. A cracking example of a
Tormore, of which there are not that
many.
SMW Whisky Score
88/100
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Ferg & Harris Longmorn 12 Year Old
Single Cask Review
|
Matured in first fill bourbon barrels
and finished in white port. Non-chill
filtered, naturally coloured and bottled at
58.8% ABV. A single cask which produced
288
bottles. RRP £124.99
William
Morrison's
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A
very gentle sweet honey and vanilla mix
infused with equally gentle crisp green
apple, a little stewed peach and milk chocolate.
Taste: Smooth
entry with some gentle sweet fruit
leading the way with apple, pear, and a
touch of lemon, a delicious barley
sugared sweetness boosts the fruits
lifespan all with a gentle lovely
vanilla coating and wee bit of a
hazelnut edge, some late gentle oak.
Finish: Hazelnut
and milk chocolate, the slightest wee
touch of liquorice, the sugars linger a
bit then bitters out to leave the
slightly drying oak to have the final
word.
Comment:
Gently fruity and has a fresh, zesty
charm, all boosted by a delicious sugary
sweetness, it all bitters out in the
end.
SMW Whisky Score
84/100
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Ferg & Harris Craigellachie 15 Year
Old Single Cask Review
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Matured in Amontillado Sherry butt and
finished in virgin oak. Non-chill
filtered, naturally coloured and bottled at
64.2% ABV.
A single cask which produced 284
bottles. RRP £129.99
William
Morrison's
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Honey,
hazelnut and sweet toffee. Some distant
baked peach and sugared almond.
Taste: A
deliciously smooth entry considering its
cask strength, soft vanilla toffee
infused with a deliciously sweet rich,
fruity mix of pear, plum, apricot,
glazed dark cherry, orange and lemon all
with a wee touch of a hazelnut edge, a
lovely very gentle barley sugared
sweetness boosts the fruits lifespan,
some lovely late very gentle oak spices
and a wee trace of sulphur.
Finish: An
equally delicious long lingering finish,
sweet vanilla with a orange citrus and
plum edge lingers a while before fading,
a little toasted hazelnut, fruit and
gentle oak spices tussle it out to have the final word, slightly drying in
the end.
Comment:
A delicious example of a Amontillado
Sherry Cask matured whisky, I perhaps
expected more vanilla and spice from the
virgin oak finish but perhaps it was a
short finish. A flavoursome sherried
dram and an ideal pour for those long
cold dark nights which are now fast
approaching.
SMW Whisky Score
90/100
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Ferg & Harris Craigellachie 15 Year
Old Single Cask Review
|
Matured in Amontillado Sherry butt and
finished in white port. Non-chill
filtered, naturally coloured and bottled at
63.1% ABV.
A single cask which produced 279
bottles. RRP £129.99
William
Morrison's
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Honey,
vanilla and some distant almond, a wee
bit grassy.
Taste: Deliciously richer than the nose let on
was coming, rich and a wee touch oily,
delicious sugared almond, some vanilla
toffee, a light,
slightly oaky spiced raisin and sultana
with a lovely gentle orange zesty edge,
milk chocolate and some lovely gentle
oak spices and again a wee trace of
Craigellachie's trademark sulphur.
Finish: A lovely deliciously long lingering
finish, sugar boosted sweet vanilla
infused with orange citrus, the oak
peaks and the delicious spiced raisin
has the final say.
Comment:
Absolutely delicious! So moreish! The
sugars are the star of the show here,
but it didn't surprise me, a great example
of how a finish can influence a whisky,
the virgin oak finish above was good but
this was outstanding. If you are looking
for a winter warmer that isn't too
heavily sherried this is a cracker.
SMW Whisky Score
93/100
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Ferg & Harris Bunnahabhain 14 Year
Old Single Cask Review
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Matured in second fill Oloroso hogshead
and finished in a Sauternes barrique.
Non-chill filtered, naturally coloured
and bottled at 54.7% ABV. A single cask
which produced 281 bottles. RRP £139.99
William
Morrison's
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A
mix of creamy butter and vanilla infused
with lovely Demerara sugar sweet peat
smoke.
Taste: The
delicious Demerara sweet peat smoke from
the nose leads the charge followed by
creamy butterscotch which fills every
corner of the mouth, some lemon,
pineapple and pear, then comes a lovely
touch of pepper and oak.
Finish: A lovely long finish, the delicious
peat smoke and sugars and some sweet
toffee linger for an age, some gentle,
slightly drying oak has the final say.
Comment:
Quite simply a delicious sweet peated
Bunna which has been enhanced by its
maturation in a refill Oloroso hogshead
followed by a finish in a Sauternes barrique.
SMW Whisky Score
91/100
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