Spyside

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SMWS 96.11 Frisky Fun. 10 year old single cask single malt from Glendronach Distillery. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 57.6%. Tasted at home, $160 (bottle).

With a name like “Frisky Fun”, never has the phrase “whisky makes me frisky” been more appropriate. Let’s stumble through the front door and start peeling off the layers as we hurriedly get intimate with this dram…

Colour: Golden glow.

Nose: Fresher than the aroma of an over-zealous Tinder date who applies just a touch too much perfume right before walking into the bar. Fresh pine needles, jersey caramels and red raspberry jellies.

Palate: Hot toasted white bread, melted butter, honey, butter menthols and tangy lemon tarts.

Finish: Buttery with a satisfying salty tingle on the front of the tongue. Like kissing your date after she’s had a couple of margaritas.

Comments: It’s the unexpected excitement of discovering something new, like that kinda cute girl from IT who rocks up to the work Christmas party dressed to the nines and suddenly takes everyone’s breath away. Long finish, warm oily mouthfeel.

Glendronach are well known for their use of ex sherry casks (both Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso) in which to mature the majority of their core range of whiskies. The Glendronach Revival 15 Year Old and Glendronach Allardice 18 Year Old are phenomenal sherry bombs that have deep rich dried fruit characteristics, but this refill ex bourbon barrel release takes you in a different direction and shows you a side of the distillery that you might not have previously thought possible. Much like the excitement of a new frisky encounter. Another outstanding release from the SMWS!