Hammerschmiede Glen Els 5 Year Old 2011 Malaga Cask

A former Malaga Cask? That’s something you don’t see every day. This sweet Spanish dessert wine is produced with Pedro Ximenez and Moscatel grapes. I wonder what this cask has done with the young spirit from this German distillery. This Glen Els is only 5 years old.

Oh, my, this nose is wonderful! Dark and sweet notes of pure chocolate, roasted almonds, plums and mildly rotting oranges (which is not an off-note!). This is actually succulent and inviting. Some humidor, blackberries, coconut, leather and furniture polish. Softly seasoned with nutmeg and cinnamon. Delicious!

Oily and soft upon arrival. First the chocolate and sweet fruit, then the spices kick in. The oranges evolve towards red fruit, while the nuts come to the fore. Midpalate I get a small, but unmistakable salty note. I cannot remove maple syrup with cloves from my mind’s eye.

The finish is definitely long, very sweet and spicy. Lightly salty versus very sweet at the death. The spices fade gently.

Wow! This cask has beautifully shaped the Glen Els spirit. This is an awesome whisky. If you consider the young age, it’s downright impressive!