Hazelburn 14 Years Old 2002 (55.5%, OB, Cage, F Cognac Butt, 1 Bottle, 2017)

• Category: Campbeltown single malt scotch whisky
• Origin: Springbank distillery
• Bottling: J & A Mitchell & Co Ltd.
• ABV: 55.5%
• Cost: £60

What they say

Distilled 19th December 2002 and matured in a Fresh Cognac Butt for 14 Years before a sample bottle was collected for the cage at Cadenhead’s Campbeltown store in 2017.

Bottled at Cask Strength 55.5% ABV

What I say

During a friends recent plunder of Cadenhead’s Campbeltown shop “Cage Booze” I spotted this Hazelburn matured in an ex Cognac Butt and joined in for a share of the whole lot.

A 2002 vintage bottled in 2017 at 14 Years Old

I had a similar 14yo bottle somewhere matured in Rum (I appear not have posted tasting notes on it yet? – time to remedy that)

My tasting notes:

• Appearance: Chardonnay gold (6/20), rare, slow, medium-fine tears leave fine legs
• Nose: Sweet and musty, almost apple must, nutty, almonds, linseed oil, putty, cereal malt barley, sweetened with honey or golden syrup, a touch cloying, fruit zest, limes and lemons, even grapefruit some peach and apricot and plenty of tannic oak wood
• Taste: Sugary and spicy, candied peel, barley sugars and caramelised sugar, toffee apple, ginger and cinnamon spice, medium to full bodied, the sweetness of golden syrup and thick honey persists as do the spices though they are joined later by wood tannins too, more of that peach and dried apricot fruit from the nose, dried apple chips and a touch of dried mango, some woody herbality, mace, clove and a touch of aniseed perhaps, sugared almonds.
• Finish: Long, sweet and spiced like cinnamon and sherbet, gentle fruit and tannins

Overall

An interesting expression, really sweet and fruity, well-spiced and borders on becoming a little woody and tannic towards the finish. I’m not sure what I was expecting with this but it appears to carry a lot of classical ‘Cognac’ flavours whilst keeping that slightly musty and dirty “Springbank” sweetened barley malt backbone. I could really grow to like this one, lets hope they bottle the remainder of the cask soon.

Score 87/100

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