Well, this obviously wasn’t really a single cask, was it? It came from one cask, but before it was in that one, it was in another cask. I’ve heard, but am not sure 100% about it, that the SWA is trying to write some rules regarding single cask whiskies. As in, they have to be matured wholly in a single cask.

Anyway, that’s one minor topic out of the way. Let’s take a peek at the whisky itself.

I think this is the first and only A.D. Rattray whisky I’ve ever had in my collection. This mostly is the case because it just isn’t very available in The Netherlands, until a few years ago. But then, it was mostly young stuff under ten years old.

And before someone starts, I sure was able to get bottlings from them, I think The Old Pipe used to carry the brand, I just never had it on my radar.

Glencadam is not the only one in my collection ever. There’s another one from Berry Bros that’s waiting to be reviewed, both of these came from a friend’s collection. I’m hoping to visit the distillery some time in the future, but it’s a bit off route for all past whisky trips.

Sniff:
Rather cask driven, but there is just enough barley and pie-dough in the background to make things a bit more balanced. A rather yeasty type of sherry on the nose, with almonds and sawdust. Fruity notes of orange and date.

Sip:
The palate is, after a few drams, rather gentle but there is some peppery heat coming through after a few seconds. It’s just a little bit and kept in check by a lot of sweetness from baked, dried fruits. Dates, candied orange, peach.

Swallow:
The finish veers back to being a little bit more allowing of barley notes. There still is the fruity sherry notes, but there’s some pie dough, almonds, and a bit of baking spices.

This might not be the most stellar whisky you’ll ever have, but it is very drinkable. Even though the bottle is nearing its end, I’ve only yesterday tasted it properly. I almost finished the rest in one go. There’s enough complexity and interesting flavors to keep you going, but it’s also just a very tasty dram.

Honestly, the 85.5 points it is getting on Whiskybase is a bit too low for how I think about it. This one might make me a bit more on the look out for affordable Glencadam in the near future.

87/100