Crabbie 22 Years Old Orkney Single Cask Expression
Philip Day reviews a newly released malt whisky, Crabbie 22 Years Old Orkney Single Cask Expression with Palo Cortado finish. This feature includes both Philips’s tasting notes as well as the company’s own.
Chain Pier Single Malt
Following on from the great success of their inaugural release: Chain Pier Single Malt – the first Single Malt to be produced in Edinburgh for almost 100 years (for more information see my previous Crabbie article), historic Edinburgh whisky producers John Crabbie & Co have today (7th March) unveiled a new single cask bottling of 22 Years Old Orkney Single Malt Whisky, finished for extraordinary flavour in a rare Palo Cortado sherry cask.
Crabbie 22 Years Old Orkney Single Cask Expression – Dr Kirstie McCallum
Just 253 bottles of this special new dram are being released under the signature of renowned master blender Dr Kirstie McCallum, who took charge of the Crabbie’s whisky portfolio last year.
After spending 21 years in ex-bourbon casks, this peated Orkney single malt was transferred to a highly coveted Palo Cortado sherry cask, hand selected by Dr Kirstie, before being left to rest for a final six months at Crabbie’s warehouse in Edinburgh’s port of Leith area.
Bottled at 47.5%, the influence of this unusual sherry – described as Amontillado on the nose and Oloroso on the mouth – gives a wonderfully complex and rounded quality to the spicy smokiness of the finished whisky.
This exclusive new bottling continues Crabbie’s legacy of whisky innovation and excellence, with the new expression being hailed as a rare treat for whisky fans.
Dr Kirstie commented: ‘This beautiful, single cask Orkney single malt is a very special whisky, an unusual coming together of the wonderfully smoky flavours of the original bourbon-matured dram with so much depth and richness from one of the world’s rarest and most coveted sherries. And with only a few hundred bottles going on sale, I’m sure it will delight for drinkers looking for something special to enjoy.
‘It gives me enormous pride to be continuing the founder’s legacy: of producing unique, unexpected and great quality whiskies for everyone to enjoy.’
With over 200 years of whisky expertise behind them, the modern-day Crabbie team continue founder John Crabbie’s quest to seek out the finest, most interesting and eclectic Scotch whiskies to finish and bottle under his mark.
Investment by parent company Halewood International in Crabbie’s new Bonnington Distillery has given fresh impetus to this pioneering Scottish brand, as they prepare to add their own whiskies to the range – distilled, matured and bottled in Leith, and set to launch this year.
Crabbie 22 Years Old Orkney Single Cask Expression – the expression in detail
- Crabbie 22 Years Old Orkney Single Cask Expression
- Malt Whisky with Palo Cortado finish
- Tasting Notes (Supplied by John Crabbie & Co):
- Colour: Bright gold (natural colour).
- Nose: Hints of raisins, dried fruit, vanilla fudge and berries, balanced with peppery smoke.
- Taste: Layers of sweet berries and cream, with soft coffee caramel toffee. Dried fruit develops to a sweet, balanced peppered smokiness, with hints of dark chocolate and coffee.
- Finish: Long, lingering and smoky.
Crabbie 22 Years Old Orkney Single Cask Expression – personal tasting notes
(Official sample kindly provided by Supplied by John Crabbie & Co., through Burt Greener Communications)
- Colour: Bright gold.
- Nose: An engaging mixture of dried vine fruit and berries topped by vanilla notes are evident, with additional aromas of caramelised creamy toffee and wisps of peppery smoke occasionally breaking through.
- Taste: Initially reminiscent of drinking a rich creamy mocha coffee while eating a cream laden berry fruit dessert. The dried fruit tastes then intensify to counter-balance the peppery smokiness, while butterscotch toffee with a hint of vanilla and dark chocolate flavours add further complexity.
- Finish: A lengthy, lingering semi-sweet and smoky finish.
- The fact of allowing the peated Orkney single malt spirit to fully mature first in ex-bourbon casks for 21 years prior to finishing in an ex-Palo Cortado sherry cask has given the whisky time to interact, instilling it with a unique character. These factors together with the fruity, robust nature of the whisky spirit have blended well to create a note-worthy dram that is well worth trying.
- In short, the maturation period has created a well-rounded, smooth, layered classic dram. The peppery warmth and the spiced fruity notes make it very accessible, at a reasonable price point.
- The quality of the liquid is really a testament to the Master Blender, Dr Kirstie McCallum and bodes well for what’s to come in the future from the Crabbie whisky brand.
- ABV: It’s bottled at cask strength: 47.5% ABV
- RRP: £175
- Crabbie 22 Years Old Orkney Single Malt is bottled at 47.5% and is non-chill filtered with natural colour. It is available from Whisky Exchange and whisky-online with an RRP of £175.
- (NB. only 253 bottles will be available in total)
About Halewood Artisanal Spirits
Halewood Artisanal Spirits is an award-winning UK-based craft distiller. Its premium gin brands include Whitley Neill Gin, City of London Gin, Marylebone Gin and Liverpool Gin. Halewood also has a strong portfolio of other high growth premium spirits, including Dead Man’s Fingers spiced rum, J. J. Whitley Vodka (Currently produced in the UK), Samuel Gelston’s Irish Whiskey and Crabbie Whisky.
The business operates 10 artisanal distilleries across the UK, Russia and South Africa including: The City of London Distillery (the home of Whitley Neill Gin), The Liverpool Gin Distillery, Crabbie Distillery in Edinburgh, Aber Falls Distillery in North Wales, Bankhall Distillery in Blackpool, The Bristol & Bath Rum Distillery, Belgravia Distillery in South Africa and JJ Whitley in Russia (Currently closed). The company also operates the Hawkshead Brewery in Cumbria.
At the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition the business was awarded nine double golds and 13 golds, as well as 44 golds at the International Wines and Spirits Competition.
Outside the UK, the business exports products to over 90 countries around the world and has significant operations in a number of international markets including North America, Russia, Australia and China. The business has a £400m+ turnover, and employs over 950 employees globally.
The business was founded by the late John Halewood in 1978 and it remains owned and controlled by the Halewood family.
For all the latest news and launches
- Facebook: @HalewoodArtisanalSpirits
- Twitter: @HalewoodIntern1
- Instagram: @halewood_artisanal_spirits
- Website: https://halewood-int.com/
References
Press release care of Burt Greener Communications
Images
Images kindly provided with thanks by Burt Greener Communications