HYDE No. 7 President's Cask Sherry Cask Matured

This Hyde bottling, No. 7, follows the disappointing No. 6 Presidents Reserve. It's an Oloroso sherry finished blend of 18-year-old malt and 8-year-old grain. This pour is of the No. 7 '1893 Presidents Cask,' fully matured in Oloroso sherry hogsheads. While not age-stated, Hyde claims it's a six-year-old Irish single malt, non-chill filtered. Nose: A mellow, welcoming aroma with soft chocolate and malt notes. Hints of honey, apple, peach, and nutmeg are present. With a little time, the nose opens up, becoming less flat, possibly revealing some orange peel. The sherry cask influence is quite evident. Palate: The texture is between oily and creamy, coating the mouth with malt-forward character, orange peel, plain chocolate, abundant plum, and cinnamon spice. Later sips introduce a touch of leather. A strong spirit heat remains prominent throughout. Finish: Short to medium. Toffee and oaky vanilla with a spicy heat. This is the best of the Hyde series so far, though that's not saying much given the competition. There's a lot happening here. The nose starts slowly but offers many notes to discover. The palate is rich with sherry cask flavors, and the finish adds depth with vanillin and toffee-laden oak. However, the issue is the limited spirit character beyond an intrusive heat and generic maltiness. The sherry cask is not exceptional enough to stand alone. While it's the best Hyde I've tried, the cask dominates, seemingly masking an average or subpar spirit rather than enhancing it. (Pictured with a Western Australian LCT-Pegmatite from Spargoville, featuring quartz, microcline, and beryl.) Hyde scores: No. 3 Bourbon Cask: 2/5; No. 4 Rum Cask Finish: 1.75/5; No. 6 Presidents Reserve: 2.75/5; No. 7 Sherry Matured 1893: 3/5

A complex, Single Malt Irish Whiskey crafted by brothers Conor & Alan Hyde, founders of Hibernia Distillers in Skibbereen, Ireland. It was distilled in a copper pot still and aged for 6 years in first-fill Oloroso Sherry hogshead barrels. The nose is aromatic, offering notes of fresh malt, smoke, orange, chocolate truffles, honeyed stone fruits, baking spices, and lemon curd. The palate is rich and oily, with notes of stewed over-ripe plums, raspberry, vanilla custard, dried apricots, and a hint of shortbread. The finish is long and spicy, with notes of honeyed spices, caramel, and tart red berries. October 2020 / March 2021 / September 2022

It's remarkable how precisely the flavor profile matches Flaviar's description. I genuinely believed this would be my top choice, but it isn't. I'm not particularly fond of the 'oily' characteristic. The spicy finish is the only aspect that redeems it.

Notes of raisins, stone fruits, chocolate, honey, and light wood. The nose is very light with similar scents. Very smooth and enjoyable with a short finish.

Aroma- ripe plum Taste- vanilla, bitter and spice, stone fruits, burn and sour Finish - warm, lasting bitterness

A strong, inviting aroma of apricot. Sweet with apricot at the forefront. Quite interesting for sipping.