Strathclyde 9 Years Old 2005 Clan Denny (55.7%, Douglas Hamilton, Sherry Butt #10710, 2015)

• Category: Single grain scotch whisky
• Origin: Strathclyde distillery
• Bottling: Douglas Laing; Clan Denny
• ABV: 55.7%
• Cost: £58.49

What they say:

Clan Denny proudly holds specialist, rare and aged Single Grain Scotch Whiskies. As the distiller intended, it’s bottled at cask strength and without colouring or chill filtration, affording the Whisky a rich, oily quality that’s not unlike dessert wine. This expression, a 9 Years Old Single Grain Whisky from Glasgow’s Strathclyde Distillery, spent its life in a single Sherry Butt, affording the Whisky an incredibly robust and chocolatey character.

On the nose, big, robust and fragrantly full of dark coffee, fruit, spices and even vanilla. On the palate, anticipate cloves, burnt citrus fruit skin, flambed Christmas pudding, plus distinct vanilla custard and cereal based flavours. The toffee finish is still big and feisty, showing macerated raisins and spices and is distinctly long for a Grain Whisky.

What I say:

Thanks to Tom of Toms Whisky Reviews for the sample. This particular whisky had been sampled in its pre-bottling incarnation as Mystery Single Grain. Considering the time between sampling and bottling it doesn’t seem possible to have dropped ABV from 62.1% to 55.7% naturally so I’ll have to assume this has been watered down to some degree for bottling but enough to give the guise of ‘cask strength’ whilst actually just being randomly ABV’d. I’m sure some other factor like number of bottles produced (or cases) may explain the exact cut strength selected.

Colour:

Dark auburn/burnished copper (12/20), thick streaky legs

Nose:

Dried fruits; raisin, fig, prune, dusty dark chocolate shavings and roasted walnuts, tannic leather, old oak wood, nutty chocolate ganache

Taste:

Richly toffee’d with dark chocolate-coated walnut & brazil nuts, nut brittle, slightly rubbery – like bicycle innertubes, dried fruit (christmas) pudding with brandy sauce, rich demerara sugar – caramelised – like crème brulee topping.

Finish:

Long, burnt sugars, fruit & nut chocolate bars

Overall:

Still a lovely expression and more approachable at its slightly reduced strength, massive sherry flavours and a richness that still surprises me this is grain whisky!

Score: 89/100

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