Virginia Distillery Co. Courage & Conviction Sherry Cask

Nose: fig, plum, apricot, cinnamon, raisin, sulfur, black pepper, clove, strawberry jam, barrel spice, grass, honey, nut, slight to moderate ethanol sting. Palate: tart apple, plum, apricot, unsweetened vanilla, raisin, orange peel, caramel, grass, lemon, allspice, clove, black pepper, savory sulfur, date, spiced nut, harsh botanical notes, noticeable alcohol sting, with a medium-short finish of dried fruit, baking spice, and bitter botanical flavors. Concluding my exploration of Virginia Distillery Co's offerings is this Sherry cask expression. The sherry's impact is immediate on the nose, with prominent dry, spiced fruit and nutty characteristics. It's the sole expression among the three cask variations that might have convinced me it originated in Scotland. The palate presents as robust, citrus-forward, jammy, and spiced. Nevertheless, a distinct sulfuric note emerges, which, while not completely derailing the nose and palate, is certainly not desired. This brings to mind Glenmorangie Lasanta, and I'd say it's comparable. Both exhibit pleasant sherry influence but falter in their execution. That same unwelcome sulfur note intrudes, diminishing the overall enjoyment. Among the three Courage & Conviction cask releases, the Cuvée stands out as my preferred choice. I'm undecided between this and the Bourbon cask, as they are quite similar in my estimation. However, the standard Courage & Conviction bottling remains my top pick (and is more affordable than the three cask editions), though I'm unlikely to purchase it again due to the high cost.

Nose: Features notes of almond, hazelnut, raisins, plum, green apple, lemon zest, and cherry tart. Palate: Offers sour apple, vanilla, oversteeped sweet tea, lemon juice, and caramel. Finish: Exhibits barrel spice, white pepper, cloves, honey, and plum. Value: Rated D+. The nose is pleasant but has an undefinable sharpness. The palate is nearly sour and lacks complexity, with a medium-length finish that has some ethanol burn. It's priced higher than a Macallan 12, which I find much more enjoyable. I will acknowledge the distillery, however, as I visited recently. Being a very new distillery, they likely need to charge premium prices for their bottles for the next few years to build capital for a better business model with superior whiskies. My hope is that these courage and conviction releases reflect their current financial baseline, with the highest price point due to a lack of profit. I'm more optimistic about the distillery's future, as the whisky is not terrible, but the price-to-quality ratio is not good.

This was acceptable. It seemed a little young and sharp initially. Primarily malt, honey, and some apple. Perhaps some dryness in the finish from the sherry cask. Not remarkable, but a positive indicator for future offerings from this distillery.

The aroma is all sherry with a hint of prunes. It has a lighter body that develops on the palate's front. Sherry remains the primary flavor, though some younger oak notes are introduced. It's straightforward. The finish is dry.

The aroma has notes of berry and butter. It's sweet, with flavors of berries and cream. The finish is buttery and sweet.

The aroma presents fruit and wheat. The taste is peppery and slick. It finishes with those same characteristics.