Glencadam 15 Year

Glencadam is a Highland distillery that was built in 1825 by one George Cooper, and has changed hands many, many times over the last 200 years. Most recently - and gloriously - it was purchased by Angus Dundee in 2003, who immediately improved every aspect of whisky. This 15 year expression is bottled at 46%, no coloring, no filtering. Huzzah for Angus Dundee! It's part of the blend recipe for Ballantine's, which is a blend I have enjoyed in the past. It's not far from Fettercairn, and also not super distant from Royal Lochnagar, Edradour, and Blair Athol. Given the nickname, "Rather Dignified," I have been curious about Glencadam for some time now. I have had a 9 year independent single cask bottle from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society which I found intensely floral and oaky without crossing the line into cloying or bitter. So I have high hopes for this. Aged in ex-bourbon barrels. Let's ride this horse to the fair:

Nose: First, this is enormously fragrant. Just pouring a dram of this causes the whole room to erupt in apple-cinnamon type scenes. 

Then, the neck pour of this was a gingerbread bomb. Sweet sugar crystals, and rich ginger, almost like sniffing Domaine de Canton liqueur. 

But letting it rest for a while, the gingerbread impression fades moderately: rich, delectable sugar and ginger remain, but a nice bouquet of floral elements hovers overtop a slice of apple pie fresh from the oven, some pears poached in syrup, and a faint honey-and-cinnamon note. Very very nice. Oak and baking spices also present on the nose, as well as one of my favorite scents: freshly cut grass. 

Further into the bottle, the gingerbread cookie impression fades away a bit - damn - but is replaced by something equally nice: peaches and cream. 

Mouthfeel: Surprisingly chewy and viscous. Interesting texture. 

Palate: A little different from the nose: the ginger separates from the sugar and becomes almost astringent, like the pink pickled stuff you get with sushi... but only slightly. There is a strong, bright malted barley backbone. 

Then, a flavor of sweetened oatmeal (!)... you read that right. It's like those Quaker Oats instant oatmeal packets where you add hot milk: sweet, creamy oats. Then big green baked apples, and lots and lots of spices (cinnamon, allspice, cloves). Pear as well. Maybe peach. 

It transitions on the tongue to a soft oakiness, not overly bitter, and some accompanying drying tannins that are surrounded by a halo of flowers and spices. Intense baking spices. 

Finish: Hints of smoke! Smoke remains on the tongue very very lightly as oak and apple fade away fairly quickly. Medium finish, mostly thanks to the faint but ashy smoke. 

Verdict: This is a lovely whisky. Really, really nice stuff. Delicate, complex, it would be an excellent sipper on a warm spring or summer night. It has a wonderful nose, a surprisingly good mouthfeel, and a complicated flavor sequence that completely works together in harmony. They are doing some damned fine distilling over at Glencadam. 

Apparently Youtube reviewer Ralfy gave this whisky of the year 2017, and I can see why. An absolutely lovely bottle. The gentleman at the liquor store told me these used to regularly sell out the whole Glencadam line, but now they hardly move them - unsure why. A few glasses of this, and I'm a huge fan of Glencadam. I would love to try some of their sherried stuff.