Armorik Sherry Finish (40%, OB, 2013)

• 40% ABV, €26.50 from Carrefour Fougères
• Score: 78/100

What they say:

At the end of their maturation, some casks of Armorik were transferred into casks which have contained sherry to spend a few months. The natural fruitiness of Armorik is thereby enhanced by warm notes of dried fruit and prunes so characteristic of sherry.

Nose: Round and warm, it evokes the candied fruits with a touch of chocolate.
Palate: Lively and finely wooded, it evolves into more roundness accompanied by some marine notes and cereals.
Finish: Long and pleasant, pleasantly spicy and iodine.

What I say:

My next adventure into Armorik whisky Breton comes courtesy of their Sherry Finish expression. Still at 40%, this is Edition Originale after it has spent a final few months in Sherry casks. While it is safe to say the standard Armorik was pleasant enough but most definitely did not bowl me over, this one came as quite a surprise…

Colour:

Blood orange gold with hints of ruby

Nose:

Herbal star anise and spices, floral lilacs very fragrant like Thai cookery, dry suede leather from the sherry influence. This really reminded me of damn good sherried speyside single malts like The Macallan or Mortlach…

Taste:

Simply sublime, light delicate melange of flavours with a little bitterness but distinctly raisins and sultanas with a pinch of salt and sulphites, plenty of barley malt just enough to make it moreish.

Finish:

Candy and syrupy fruit flavours enhanced with a drying tannin and hints of strong dark chocolate for a long sumptuous finish

Would I buy it again:

Most definitely yes! I would expect to pay twice or even three times the price of this to get a good sherried speyside malt that carries and incorporates all the flavours that the Armorik Sherry Finish delivers supremely.  I can’t get enough of this at the moment! Those few months in the sherry cask have really matured this whisky into something very special. It is not a deeply spicy Christmas cake kind of dram but it incorporates the little sulphuric notes from the sherry casks beautifully. A hint of briny sea spray creeps in too, think of The Macallan matured on Islay… All-together a supremely well balanced, delicate, fragrant and well-rounded whisky that I really really enjoyed.