Words by Colin Hampden-White
We all know we love whisky, and today 90% of whisky is simply matured in an ex bourbon cask, and they are very nice. But there is a way to excite our palates even more. A small proportion of ex bourbon cask matured whisky is placed in a different type of cask, and these are mostly ex wine, port or sherry casks. This adds extra colour, complexity and flavour to the whisky. The amount of extra flavour depends on the quality of the cask and how long the whisky is left in the cask. The use of these casks at the end of a whiskies maturation, known as finishing, means there are a world of new flavours to experience and variations on our much loved favourites. These are a few of the best examples catering for all pockets, to start your wine finished whisky adventure.
Glen Moray port finish
One of the best value finished whiskies on the market, this Port cask finished whisky was introduced in 2014 and had been a firm favourite of ours. Initially matured in ex-bourbon casks, this whisky is then placed in tawny Port casks for the last eight months of its maturation to give huge amounts of extra flavour and complexity. With flavours of butterscotch, redcurrants, vanilla, raisins and a touch of cinnamon, this is a dram for those who want a big bang for their buck. Trust us, once you have tried this one, you will be going back for more.
ABV: 40%
Size: 700ml
Buy it now for £26.95
Glenfiddich Grand Cru
The folks at Glenfiddich clearly enjoy exploring new cask types for their whisky. Whether it's peaty whisky in rum casks, or making good use of icewine casks, the distillery certainly has some experimental flair. And if experimental flair is what you're after, Glenfiddich Grand Cru 23 Year Old is the perfect thing. This single malt initially ages in American and European oak casks, before being moved over to rare French cuvée oak casks. The influence these casks have had on the whisky is fantastic, lifting the palate with notes of baked goods and fresh fruit.
ABV: 40%
Size: 700ml
Buy it now for £220
Glenmorangie lasanta
Glenmorangie are known for their expertise in finished expressions of their whisky. This is the 12 year old, sherry cask finished expression from Glenmorangie, called The Lasanta. It first matures in bourbon casks before being moved over to Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks for a finishing period. It’s rich and creamy with dark chocolate, dried fruit and fresh honey. The effect of using Pedro Ximénez as well as Oloroso gives a sweetness to balance the spice. For those who like both, this whisky will be right up your street.
ABV: 43%
Size: 700ml
Buy it now for £41.75
Glen Scotia 14 Year Old Tawny Port Finish - Campbeltown Malts Festival 2020
This is a limited run of high strength Glen Scotia. I tasted this at the on-line Summerton Whisky Festival and is a belter! The extra ABV is held in check by the rich berry fruit flavours imparted by the tawny port cask, and there is still plenty of the fruity and salty flavours typical of Glen Scotia. There is still enough sweetness given by the fist maturation in first fill ex-bourbon casks. For those who like their whisky big and strong, give this a go.
ABV: 52.8
Size: 700ml
Buy it now for £74.95
Spey Tenné port finish
The Spey Tenné is a single malt from the Speyside Distillery. Owned by Harvey's of Edinburgh, this distillery only started in 1990 and it is producing some incredible whisky. This one is initially aged in bourbon casks before enjoying a 6 month finishing period in Tawny Port casks, giving a subtle ruby hue and a vibrant, fruit-filled flavour profile. Being 46% and bottled in very smart packaging, this is a great whisky for a gift. Although if you taste this one, you won’t want to give it away.
ABV: 46%
Size: 700ml
Buy it now for £39.95
Glenfiddich Winter Storm – Ice Wine Finish
A second whisky from Glenfiddch in the guide, the eagerly-awaited second batch of Glenfiddich's Winter Storm once again sees well-aged whisky from the legendary distillery. It is finished in casks that previously held Canadian icewine (made using grapes harvested while frozen, resulting in a powerfully sweet elixir). Released as part of the Glenfiddich Experimental Series, malt master Brian Kinsman believes that only older whiskies can stand up to the intense influence of icewine, which is why Winter Storm is built around 21 year old single malt. This is one, like the Glenfiddich Grand Cru, is for those who like older whiskies that also have a lovely fresh fruity core.
ABV: 43%
Size: 700ml
Buy it now for £199
Hinch 10 sherry cask finish
A 10 year old whiskey from Hinch, which takes its name from the nearby town of Ballynahinch. The distillery is based just south of Belfast in the grounds of the Killaney Estate. The blend was initially matured in American oak before being treated to a six month finish in Oloroso sherry casks from Jerez. It's then bottled at 43% ABV, released as part of the Time Collection. Like most Irish whisky this is very smooth, but has a spicy edge to it because of the sherry cask influence, making this whiskey smooth yet characterful.
ABV: 43%
Size: 700ml
Buy it now for £43.95
Balvenie 21 Port wood
One of my all-time favourite whiskies. This has all the fruity flavours one expects in Balvenie, and then a big rich dark fruit dollop given by the port casks. It is indulgent and hedonistic. An additional period of maturation in 30 year-old port pipes has given this aged Balvenie an extra level of depth and concentration of flavour, adding potent fruit and smoke notes to the silky-smooth full-bodied palate. Rich, indulgent, after-dinner Speyside at its best. For the epicureans out there, get stuck into a bit of this.
ABV: 40%
Size: 700ml
Buy it now for £149.95