Man O’Sword Peated 2017 Shaved, Toasted & Recharred Ex-Burgandy Cask #364 Single Cask Single Malt
On the advice of ‘The Einstein of Whisky’, Dr Jim Swan, late friend of our Annandale Distillery co-owner Professor David Thomson, matured some of our highly acclaimed peated spirit using STRs.
STR (Shaved, Toasted and Re-Charred) were developed by Jim Swan and Miguel Martin in Spain, using a secret process. These Swan/Martin STRs are ex-red Burgundy, 230 litre hogsheads.
In relatively short order, they have conferred a wonderful fruity character on our maturing peated spirit, that is complex and well-balanced.
And now, our STR releases have picked up critical acclaim at the San Francisco Spirit Awards receiving both a gold and silver medal in their category.
TASTING NOTES – Tasting notes by the Annandale Tasting Panel – #364 (2017) 58.9%ABV
Appearance – Rich golden amber hue
Nose – Peat is rather subtle on the nose, but is very much reminiscent of tobacco smoke and smoky bacon, followed by a very slight hint of coconut and sweet almond cherry bakewell.
Palate – Intensely sweet and creamy, sweet wood, cooked fruity background, medicinal notes in background, syrupy with a real peat explosion on the palate bringing in a real earthy note.
Finish – Smouldering green foliage, creamy vanilla, esh peach, and a slight tickle of black pepper on the back of the throat.
Man O’Sword Peated 2017 Oloroso Sherry Butt #1091 Single Cask Single Malt
This robust and intricate dram is the result of our award-winning peated spirit maturing entirely in an Oloroso Sherry Butt for a deep and powerful flavour.
This whisky has an ABV of 60.6%, and non-chill filtered like all of our whisky, making it a strong and gratifying sip for any whisky enthusiast.
The Man O’Sword 2017 Oloroso Sherry Butt, lighter on the palate that our 2015 Sherry, this malt will delight any fan of sherry-matured Single Cask Single Malt.
TASTING NOTES – Tasting notes by the Annandale Tasting Panel – 12/09/2023 #1091 (2017) 60.6%
Appearance – Deep amber hue
Nose – On the nose, creamy sweet vanilla notes, orchard fruits like apple and pear, ashy smoke with hints of smouldering embers.
Palate – Alongside a wonderful mouth feel, a strong note of stewed apples, tropical fruits, orchard fruits and nutty flavours.
Finish – The finish is lengthy and smooth, with a persistent smokiness.
Man O’Sword Peated 2017 Double Oak Ex-Bourbon #1434 Single Cask Single Malt
This whisky was matured for six years in a Woodford Reserve double oak barrel, making it one of the oldest Annandale released on the market. The maturation and type of cask has given this whisky a rich and complex flavour profile.
Each of these Double Oak casks are subjected to a longer, heavier toasting period, followed by a light charring level, which allows more of the wood sugars held within each cask stave to caramelise, thus creating additional amounts of soft, sweet peaty oak character. What this ultimately leads to is a cask fantastic for maturing our peated new make spirit and a wonderfully dark whisky with exuberant hints of toffee, caramel, smoke and hot treacle. A superb complement to those distinctive fresh orchard fruit and tropical notes of the Annandale Distillery new make spirit character.
TASTING NOTES – Tasting notes by the Annandale Tasting Panel – 07/07/2023 #1434 (2017) 59.5%ABV
Appearance – Amber
Nose – The aroma is fresh, with notes typical of the Annandale style, pineapple, greenery with subtle smoky hints, and a touch of leafy maltiness.
Palate – Oily and peaty, with initial hints steeped raisins, fruitcake and tropical fruits. Spicey wood, chocolate rich in vanilla, creating a balanced and smooth mouthfeel.
Finish – A nutty and peppered finish leaving a lasting impression of spice with underlying notes of linseed, an aged cigar box and sandalwood.
Man O’Sword Peated 2015 Fresh Bourbon #606 Single Cask Single Malt
This whisky was matured in Cask 606, and bottled at an ABV of 57.9%, with a stunning smooth and complex character a fine example of the Annandale style.
This whisky is not for the faint of heart, but for the true connoisseurs who appreciate a peated dram.
Fresh bourbon casks play a vital role in the maturation of single cask single malt whisky. These casks, made from new American oak, bring a symphony of flavours to the spirit. As the whisky rests in these pristine containers, it absorbs the rich, sweet vanillin notes imparted by the oak. The casks also lend a warm, golden hue to the liquid, enhancing its visual appeal.
Over time, our peated spirit imbibes with the wood, extracting deep caramel, toffee, and butterscotch tones that infuse the whisky with layers of complexity. The porous wood allows for subtle oxidation and evaporation (the Angel’s Share), concentrating the flavours and creating a unique, individual character in each cask. The result is a single cask single malt whisky of unparalleled depth and quality, cherished by connoisseurs for its distinct, full-bodied taste and aromatic charm.
TASTING NOTES – Tasting notes by the Annandale Tasting Panel – 21/07/2023 #606 (2015) 57.9%ABV
Appearance – Pale gold, light straw
Nose – Light smoke, toasted biscuit and Darjeeling tea give way to nectarine, melon and mango.
Palate – Creamy vanilla, honey and a note of burnt orange with resinous wood, long with sweet honey and vanilla. Ripe red apple, fresh cut grassy notes, toffee and butterscotch and tabacco smoke hints.
Finish – Delicate tobacco, peat smoke and leather return at the very end.
Man O’Sword Peated 2016 Refill Ex-Bourbon #397 Single Cask Single Malt
At Annandale Distillery one of our routes to flavour diversity is through aging our spirit in different types of ex-bourbon barrels: ‘Fresh’ ex-bourbon barrels will have previously held bourbon, and nothing else, and are bursting with flavours that transfer readily into the spirit along with residual amounts of bourbon. ‘Refill’ ex-bourbon barrels will have held bourbon in the first place, followed by another whisky (usually Scotch Whisky). However, at Annandale we prefer to second-fill with an American whiskey called Early Times. This is because the oak character is much less dominant and allows the true character of our distillery to shine through.
Refill whisky casks, previously seasoned with Scotch whisky, offer subtlety in maturation. Their seasoned oak imparts a mellow influence, letting the spirit’s inherent character shine through. This process creates nuanced, delicate flavours in the final whisky.
The maturation time in refill whisky casks varies, but often extends beyond a decade due to several maturations being impressed into the oak. Extended aging allows the spirit to interact gently with the seasoned wood, resulting in a well-balanced, complex whisky with subtle, matured flavours.
TASTING NOTES – Tasting notes by the Annandale Tasting Panel – 01/10/2023 #397 (2016) 61.5%ABV
Appearance – Pale gold/straw
Nose – Fresh orchard fruits, including apples and pears, creamy vanilla, caramel, cream soda with a back note of blackcurrants and slight hints of smouldering wood.
Palate – Complex balance of cooked and fresh orchard fruits, beautifully sweet and creamy caramel, vanilla, hazelnuts, and a tickle of smouldering woody notes.
Finish – Lingering medicinal notes, iodine and pears.
Man O’Sword Peated 2015 Oloroso Sherry Butt #777 Single Cask Single Malt
This is the same whisky that has been described as “…fabulously and truly faultlessly made..” and was matured in an authentic 500 litre ex-Oloroso Sherry butt sourced from Miguel Martin in Spain by the late Dr Jim Swan. The heavily sherry-impregnated oak staves impart a richness that complements the smoky character of Annandale’s Peated new make malt spirit.
These single cask single malt’s are from our limited second year of whisky production, since recommencing distillation for the first time in over 90 years in 2014.
TASTING NOTES – Tasting notes by the Annandale Tasting Panel – 15/08/2023 #777 (2015) 60.1%ABV
Appearance – Red amber
Nose – Damp embers, tobacco smoke wisps, leather and smoky notes, sweet cooked apples and pears, with burnt orange and wonderful spicy hints of cinnamon.
Palate – Sweet, rich, toffee, creamy vanilla and honey develops with glacé lemon and orange peel, develops with peat smoke highlights.
Finish – Underlying sweet tropical fruits culminating in a long creamy after taste.