Port Charlotte 18 years old Oloroso Sherry Hogshead

Port Charlotte 18 years old Oloroso Sherry Hogshead

We can’t quite believe we can say this, but for the third time this year we are excited to release sister casks, and the second time from Port Charlotte. The reception our 20 year old sisters had earlier in the year was superb, and we are sure these 18 year old sisters will get similar reviews.

Dramfool release #60 is a Port Charlotte distilled on 27th October 2004 and filled into cask #RO8-258-23, it lay undisturbed in a first fill oloroso hogshead until being bottled 3rd November 2022.

Originally purchased by private cask buyers direct from the distillery we were privileged to be chosen to bottle it after their ownership was complete, being sure some bottles made it to the sons they had been bought with in mind!

As always this spirit has been treated with the greatest respect and bottled at natural cask strength of 57.7% without added colour or chill filtration giving the truest representation of this rare whisky we can. This is surely the darkest bottling we have ever released – let us reiterate ALL natural colour! – and proves what a dream peat and sherry can be! With only 227 bottles it might last longer than her sister but we doubt much longer!!

Don’t take our word for it but let Jim McEwan - the man who with close friend Duncan McGillivray – brought this whisky into the world, give his thoughts

Tasting notes by Jim McEwan

Colour - Gorgeous Deep Ruby with a cherry red edge.

Aromas - It opens on a beautiful rare combination that can only be discovered from single cask bottling. This spirit is wonderful & rare, seldom found as most bottling are from many casks married together. The Sherry & smoke character from 18 years of maturing on the Island of Drams is incredible. I have seldom come across spirit like this and I am super proud to meet one of my children after 18 years, what a wonderful experience!

Palate - The aromas and flavour are of plump red grapes, nutty oak, peat toasted barley. Then as it opens it’s Pandoras box of hand crafted whisky from a Distillery that lay abandoned for over a decade. The tart mellow oak sweetness from the Spanish cask is in complete contrast to the peaty Hebridean overture and it works. It’s wonderfully smooth and it seems to glide over the palate. Underneath the fruity harmonious flavours include dark chocolate, raisins, prunes, hints of walnuts and nutmeg.

Matured on the edge of the Atlantic the Islay DNA flag flies proudly throughout this beautiful handcrafted spirit.