Strathmill 13 2006/2020 (Signatory Cask Strength Collection)

Sydney Whisky Show May 20th 2023. Whisky #11 Smell: Musty sherry, strong malt like porter or stout. Wood, old varnish, raisins, cola syrup, tobacco. The aroma was reserved and seemed very “aged” straight from the bottle and although it eased up a bit with water it never gained smoothness or grace. A substantial but somewhat awkward aroma. Taste: (neat) The entry was a blast of gentle dusty tannin and lignin, dried fruit, alcohol and pepper. Dried apricot, black cherry jam, blueberries, toffee, balsamic vinegar and dark chocolate as it unfolded. Taste: (watered) Less intense on the entry but the profile remained mostly the same – wood spices, reconstituted dried fruit and chocolate with stewed stone fruits in the unfolding. The texture was heavy, oily and almost gritty. Finish: Medium/Long. Cinnamon, tobacco, oak and leather. Although only 13 years old this spirit had the appearance of a diluted mix of caramel sauce and PX sherry - dense, dark sienna in color and with a slightly murky look. It was initially aged in refill butts (note: plural) and then finished in one “fresh” sherry butt, which suggests there was massive oxidation and loss from the initial casks. As a result, not surprisingly, this is an almost unbreakably cask-driven spirit with all trace of the distillery character hidden by the wood. It lacks subtlety but that doesn’t make it bad as such, just rather heavy and common. There is a lot of toffee, dark chocolate, sherry and dried fruit but the significant fault for me was that it never seemed to open. When neat the alcohol content was immediately obvious and although adding water muted this the character barely changed, the spirit remaining closed and dense. It was like diluting dark cooking soy sauce. I'm sure there are many enthusiasts who would relish a big, oxidised sherry-and-malt monster like this but it's not a style that I prefer. “Above Average”: 82/100 (3.25 stars)