Glencadam 17yo Reserva De Porto
2004/2021 | 46% ABV
Score: 6/10
Good Stuff.
TL;DR
Finished in casks from Portugal
Port: Dangerous Ground
It seems like a lifetime ago when Ralfy announced the Glencadam 15 as his whisky of the year and sparked a wee run on the distillery stock. This prompted the distillery team to look around the warehouses, contacting their partners to return casks to their ownership to satisfy demand. It just goes to show the power of an independent voice and a distillery that does things the right way.
Change historically has come slowly to Glencadam and for that we can be thankful. While other distilleries have been demolished and rebuilt, others battered and extended out of all recognition, Glencadam remains faithful to its original vision. It has never chased the limelight or bent its style of whisky to be fashionable; it’s always been faithful to its roots. In these heady times, we should be thankful and appreciative of the different styles of whisky across Scotland.
Whenever I’m faced with a port cask whisky or finish, I drift back to a holiday in Portugal in 2014, where we packed our bags to avoid the hubbub surrounding the referendum vote on Scottish independence - an act we might have to repeat soon given the way Boris Johnson and his clan are fanning the flames of independence north of the border. On paper it seemed like a good idea at the time, heading off to the old quarters of Lisbon to soak up the wonderful vibes of the city and surrounding areas. I look back on those two weeks with great fondness in spite of the fact all the locals all wanted to talk about was the referendum and their love of Scotland. So, we may have left the confines of Scotland and avoided the news, but in doing so, opened up ourselves to a more international opinion.
Our visit underlined that the Portuguese saw themselves on a lesser tier of EU membership; not one of the leading nations, nor totally bought into the benefits of remaining in such an agreement. Forever in the shadow of Spain, a proud nation with a history of travel and discovery, there was a sense of former glories and the country being able to offer much more than it was doing at that time. In some parts of the city the lack of investment and modern intrusions were charming but highlighted the poverty that was apparent in some areas. Old roads and trams may charm international visitors with their photo opportunities and a sense of the 1950s. Yet the regular commuter might sit on a wooden bench, gazing out across the cityscape and dream of upgrades.
“A spirit that is woven into the fabric of Portuguese history, much like whisky in Scotland, that is far more affordable.”
The city also provided ample opportunity to try ports of various forms and incredible age statements. A spirit that is woven into the fabric of Portuguese history, much like whisky in Scotland, that is far more affordable. The distinctive black bottles with a chalkboard style of writing, harbouring many delights and echoes of the past. What ensued was a marvellous learning experience, forming a new appreciation of port and what it can represent. In Scotch, the qualities of a port cask are also respected; the power and new life that it can bring to a whisky.
I’m forever reminded of the Kilkerran 13 year old, bottled in 2017 where the power of the port cask had been underestimated. So much so, they had to roll back the whisky after a decade by decanting the liquid into an ex-bourbon barrel for three years. An absolute headbanger of a dram. One that you rarely see nowadays and I hate to think of its secondary value today.
Many port releases actually miss the point of what the cask can achieve with care and skill. The majority of whiskies overload on the sweet spectrum and the rosy tint that it can inject. These are the qualities that divide many whisky drinkers. For those who love that saccharin slap to the palate, I know of an equal measure that vow not to try a port cask related whisky ever again. It’s a thin line and a real balancing act to get right.
My thanks to Mally for the sample of this Glencadam release. Well, I say sample but in reality, it was around 20cl in size, which is wonderfully generous and excessive at the same time.
Review
Glencadam 2004 17yo 2021 Release 46% ABV
£115
This port cask finish was distilled in 2004 and bottled at 17 years of age, being bottled at 46% as an edition of 7770 bottles. To provide this sample, Mally kindly broke the seal on number 456 and further bottles are available from Royal Mile Whiskies for £114.95 and other independents. As you’d expect with Glencadam, this is un chill-filtered and natural in colour.
Nose
Familiar ground initially red grapes, apples and pears. Good, promising and not overly sweet as some might have feared. A splash of rose water which is often a dominant characteristic. Wood staves, figs and cherries. Time reveals a peach stone, while walnuts, cake dough and ginger biscuits are far more obvious. Honey brings a touch of sweetness but not overly so. Oddly, an old rug so in my mind that’s a mix of dusty, staleness and fabric. A splash of water brings out tobacco leaf, pencil shavings and orange zest.
Palate
Now this is very refined on first tasting and a little Macallan-like in places with an accompanying vision of a tumbler complete with an open fire and leather chair. There’s a pleasing creaminess, vanilla, a wholesome aspect and a hint of tobacco on the finish with pink peppercorns. Chocolate notes, cherries, orange peel and slightly chewy texture midway. Fiery ginger. Water softens the experience unlocking peach flesh and orangeade.
The Dregs
Some whiskies deploy port casks too heavily and thankfully that fate has been avoided here. In saying that, it does feel very refined and possibly lacks that sparkle and spirit nature that many enjoy with Glencadam. A slightly higher strength would be beneficial in my view, just to provide a more dynamic aspect. Normally, I’d associate a polished dram such as this with a more pedestrian nature with some of the bigger – more mainstream – Speyside distilleries.
Price wise, this is a limited expression and will be using a more expensive type of finishing cask. It’ll be interesting to see how it goes down generally. For £115, I’m less inclined to make that purchase, although I know Mally loves the whisky and would buy another; which just shows you how there’s a whisky for everyone out there.
I can see why someone would enjoy this whisky, and at the bar, I could easily drink a couple of pours without much thought. And I suppose that’s the crux of the matter. Glencadam I expect to be a bit more punky, left-field and petulant. In giving us a more palatable and approachable whisky, this 17 year old has lost some of its core values. On the flipside, it does showcase a new aspect to Glencadam and if it brings more attention to this distillery, then this can only be a good thing and the use of port casks can deliver good results.
Score: 6/10
Our thanks to Tyndrum Whisky for the image.
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