Clydeside Napier

Nose: Intense sherry aroma with notes of fortified wine, nuts, assorted fruit and peel, cherries, and prunes, plus rose water. It delivers a very sweet, rich sherry profile with hints of aged polished oak and pipe tobacco in the background. Palate: The initial taste matches the nose's promise, presenting a wave of sweet sherry and rich fruitcake. As it develops, notes of orange marmalade, cinnamon, clove, sweet ginger, and brown sugar emerge. The texture is rich and smooth. Finish: Medium to long, featuring rich sherry-soaked dark fruitcake followed by a subtly spiced aftertaste. Founded in 2016, the distillery began production the next year under Morrison Glasgow Distillers Ltd., affiliated with the independent bottler Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers, though they are separate entities. The distillery is situated in a repurposed historic building by the Clyde river. Their inaugural whisky was released in 2021, and they now offer several core range expressions. The distillery boasts an engaging visitor center detailing Glasgow's history and the Clyde's industrial past, with various tour options available. A basic tour includes a tasting of four of their whiskies, this being the last sampled. Napier has no age statement but is at least six years old. It is exclusively matured in sherry casks, likely first-fill, creating an unapologetically sweet sherry character. Its comparative youth contributes a juicy sweetness without appearing immature, instead offering a fresh, appealing crispness. It would serve exceptionally well as a dessert whisky. This is a highly impressive offering from Clydeside, and it was the highlight dram of the day for me. A limited quantity recently arrived in Australia and sold out rapidly, indicating that positive word has spread about this excellent whisky. Tasted at Clydeside Distillery on April 22nd, 2025. "Good": 84/100 (3.75 stars)