Old Perth Vintage Collection 1996

55.6% - Blended Malt Scotch Whisky - Sherry cask-matured

The Old Perth brand is part of Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers range of blended malt whiskies. Aside of their fantastic core range of Old Perth Original, Cask Strength, and 12yr, time to time they also release some very special limited bottles at cask strength that are designed to remind us that blended malts can woo the hell out of you and remind you that it’s not always about single malts. And they do this with aplomb.

This release is made up of several sherry cask-matured whiskies that were all distilled in 1996. The distilleries that have gone into this bottle are undisclosed remain a secret. But I quite like that as it gets people arguing, I mean talking about what they think it is they’re drinking.

Appearance: Medium amber with lazy oily legs.

Nose: stewed rhubarb, demerara sugar on cinnamon-spiced baked apple, caramel sauce, sweet wine, peanuts. A fuller, deeper sniff and there are notes of wine gums and candied orange peel.

Palate: Big, rounded, and full of body. It has sweetness with a deep cake spice infusion. Now the sherry comes to the surface with a slight burnt/caramalised sugar bite. Hard raisins, nuttiness, and a high cocoa content dark chocolate complete the delivery.

Finish: Long and oily with a sweet warming mouth-coating linger. I was going to question the official notes that state “gentle smoky notes on the finish”, but a couple of minutes after finishing my dram, there was indeed the very faintest wisp of peaty smoke on the exhale. But it was almost imperceptible.

Conclusion: This is a blended malt that can, and does kick many sherrybomb single malts into touch. It is lovely stuff indeed. It's not cheap, and is one for either a special occasion or to be completely selfish and drink alone. But it really does deliver and tick all the boxes.

Available at various retailers for approx. £180 (at the time of writing)