This blended whisky is a bit of a call back to brands that Cadenhead’s ran years ago. They used to have a 12 year old, back when proof was measured instead of ABV, and the contents were in ounces. And no, this isn’t an American release where they still go with these idiotic systems.

Anyway, a couple of months ago, this 30 year old blended whisky was released under the Seven Stars name. It’s an Oloroso cask finished whisky, so what casks were used before that is not given. Probably refill bourbon or anything that was available. Generally, for blended whiskies, the cask selection at the start isn’t something that’s given too much care.

Sniff:
Gentle, rich and mature. Lots of woody notes. Tropical fruits, wood spices, oak. Complex, but still quite focused.

Sip:
The palate is extremely gentle, with a hint of black and white pepper. Lots of oak, lots of almonds and apricots, cherry stones. Very old casks of European oak.

Swallow:
Some surprisingly barbecue-y flavors, with sweet marinade, brown sugar, oak. Still those bitter fruity notes are there.

So, yes, this is a good one. Very enjoyable and very drinkable, which means that bottles of this will likely go down fast. I had a sample which I didn’t really save for a special occasion either. The thing is, that even though everything is right about the whisky, it’s not one that you’ll remember in a year or so. It’s pretty generic for an older blend, and even though these are getting quite rare, especially at this price point, it lacks a bit of uniqueness. Then again, you can’t really be mad about a 30 year old whisky of any kind that clocks in at about € 120…

Why still 88 points then? It being generic doesn’t mean it’s bad or anything. It’s still a really good dram, and very enjoyable, as said. Lots of lovely flavors. It’s just that if you have some experience with older blended whiskies, or you have a couple on your shelf already, this one isn’t going to add too much of a new experience.

But still, quite tasty!

88/100