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The Bourbon Culture reviews Scotch? Shhhh, don’t tell anyone. Our reviews hide in the shadows which is why the pictures look so dark, but here’s a link for more: The Scotch Culture?
The Edradour Distillery holds the title as one of Scotland’s smallest traditional distilleries. Tucked away in the hills above Pitlochry, this Highland distillery has earned a reputation and cult following for producing some of the best sherried malt whisky on the market.
Founded in 1825, Edradour was owned for decades by big corporations (including Pernod Ricard), but its story really changed in 2002 when it was purchased by Andrew Symington, owner of the independent bottler “Signatory Vintage.” Instead of scaling it up or smoothing out the edges, Symington leaned hard into traditional methods like direct-fired stills, worm tub condensers, non-chill filtration and a strong bias toward big, rich sherry cask maturations.
The distillery’s standard lineup includes a 10-year, a 12-year “Caledonia,” and the peated “Ballechin” line (which I will review in the future). Where things really get interesting is with their cask strength single-cask releases aged in first-fill sherry butts. These tend to come under two banners: Edradour’s own “Straight from the Cask” series and, occasionally, from respected independent bottlers like the one I’m reviewing today from The Ultimate.
The Ultimate is a label from Dutch bottler Van Wees. If you’re unfamiliar with this company, they’re known for sourcing and releasing single-cask Scotch whiskies with minimal intervention. Non-chill filtration, no added color and bottled at cask strength, just like God intended. While “The Ultimate” bottlings don’t always grab headlines, they have a loyal following in Europe, especially among collectors and drinkers who know a good value when they see one.
Edradour and Van Wees – a match made in Scottish Heaven
Edradour’s relationship with Van Wees has produced several standout releases over the past decade. I can’t exactly tell you which barrel numbers to look out for, but they’re typically aged between 8 to 10 years in first-fill sherry butts. The sherry butts are quite large and evaporation is minimal which is why a single cask often has an outturn of 600–700 bottles. The bottle I’m reviewing today was 1 of 660.
This particular cask (#34) was distilled on February 11, 2011 and bottled on May 19, 2020 – so just over 9 years old. It also comes in at an impressive bruising 58.3% ABV. That means all the usual calling cards are in play – high proof, sherry bomb potential, zero filtration, and a distillate that’s never been accused of subtlety.
If you’ve ever tasted a modern sherry cask whisky (I’m looking at you, Macallan) and thought, “this could use more punch,” Edradour will blow away your expectations. Let’s see if this cask of The Ultimate lives up to the hype. I sampled this neat in a glencairn.
Tasting Notes
Nose: If you’ve ever opened a tin of Christmas fruitcake and thought, “This should be 115 proof,” you’re halfway there. Deep sherry notes kick things off — figs, Medjool dates, black raisins soaked in Pedro Ximénez. There’s a baked good notes too – molasses cookie dough, treacle toffee, and burnt caramel crust.
A swirl brings out secondary notes — chocolate-covered almonds, furniture polish, and espresso crema. Oak’s here, but it doesn’t dominate. There’s also a tang of orange marmalade and spiced plum jam, which cuts through the density just enough to keep you sniffing.
Palate: Thick. Dense. Chewy. This is a full-bodied dram with a syrupy grip that clings to your tongue like molasses on oak. Upfront, you get fig jam, pipe tobacco, toffee pudding and chocolate ganache. Roasted hazelnuts and nutmeg come in as the session goes on with a little bit of espresso beans for good measure.
The high proof isn’t really an issue. It’s not harsh and comes off as balanced. There’s a deep sweetness and umami-like sherry character that joins with a leathery, almost savory mid-palate. Other fruits and spices include blackberry jam, clove and cinnamon dust.
Finish: Long and warming. The dried fruits linger, especially figs and prunes. There’s a dry cocoa bitterness near the tail end followed by a soft oak and black pepper. As the finish trails off, I can find dark chocolate and walnuts.
Score: 8.3/10
I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t like this bottle of Edradour – or Edradour in general. I’ve had a few and can tell you that there are some that are better than others, but for the most part the worst Edradour is better than any run of the mill Macallan found on a store shelf. I said what I said.
I love this cask because it’s slightly funky, dense, balanced and full of big sherry flavor. The sherry influence is aggressive but not overcooked, the distillate remains characterful, and the high ABV never feels like it’s too much.
Final Thoughts
At 9 years old, this drinks like something twice its age, I chalk this up to that first-fill sherry butt. If you’re chasing elegance, look elsewhere. But if you love your whisky loud, jammy, and chewy as a pan of sticky toffee pudding, this is a hell of a value.
What’s a bourbon reviewer doing writing about Scotch so much? Trying to show each side that you can love both! So if you’re a bourbon fan wondering what this is similar to, think of something like a lower-proofed Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. Thick, chewy, proofy but not something that is too hot or will run away from you. It’s the perfect high-proof sipper.
A special toast to my friend Vinny who really helped guide me in my Scotch journey throughout the pandemic. I actually have many friends who helped me along the way (Jordan, Jason, Dan, David, Matt and Henry… not Chris), but he was the one that would always want to do long-distance pours where we’d share notes and talk about these distillers. I’ll always treasure those times, bud!