Auchentoshan 18 Year Old 1999 Cask Ends Chateau Lafite Cadenhead’s

One of my friends had the luck to attend the impressive whisky school at Springbank. This, of course, also meant he took part in a warehouse tour where they have a lot more cask slumbering away than their own three malts. After all, the owner is the same as independent bottler Cadenhead’s. This is one of my beloved Lowlander, matured for 18 years – half of which on a Lafitte Wine Cask, Pinot Noir if memory serves. Beautiful bronze color…

Very aromatic nose on dark fruit, figs, blood oranges, milk chocolate with raisins and brown sugar. Very succulent! And while I’m having a hard time finding the distillery character here, it has to be said that this nose is absolutely flabbergasting.

It is oily, mouth coating and powerful – yet quaffable without water – with dark and sweet notes. But the typical citrus from Auchentoshan does emerge now, more so than on the nose. I do recognize my beloved Lowlander now. Nice and good. Some apricot pasty appears, pineapple on the barbecue and fresh figs, followed by chocolate and cold coffee. Creamy.

The finish is very long, spicy on cloves and cinnamon and mildly drying.

Reminds me of that other Château Lafite Cask End that I got from Chris Lauriers way back. Could well be a sister cask. Thanks, Marc, for this wonderful liquid candy!

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