This Scallywag is one of the limited edition releases in the Scallyway range. This cask strength version sits beside a 13 year old age statement version with the first batch of the cask strength also still available in stores. One thing I have noticed as I have explored this range is the bottles do not move very quickly. Most of the expressions are available in the retail market place and you don’t have to look too hard to find them.

I have previously reviewed the special Highland release which you can find at Timorous Beastie 10 Year Old. In that review I much preferred the 10 year old over the core version. I wonder how this cask strength variant will compare.

The Dram

Like in the ongoing release version the same three distilleries get a shoutout. For those not listening last time around they were Glenrothes, Mortlach and Macallan. The ABV has of course been bumped up over 50% to 54.1%.

There is 4800 bottles of this available worldwide but exactly how each bottle differs in its recipe to the original remains a mystery. If you want a bottle you are going to have to spend under £50 which is a good deal just now in the UK.

Tasting Notes

Colour – Golden Yellow

Nose – quite the sherry bomb with intense alcohol soaked fruit notes. There is ground coffee, dark chocolate and orange liqueur running around a backbone of nutmeg.

Palate – The texture is very thick and the mouth coating effect is excellent. There is bright bitter orange notes. Toffee and caramel ice-cream sundaes. This then develops away from the sherry influence to the bourbon with lots of vanilla, ginger and oak spices and pepper.

Finish – The finish is very long and packs in loads of the sherry notes again. There is the standard raisins, fruitcake, Christmas cake you expect from a sherry influence.

Final Thoughts

This is much more like it and is really great to sit with and dissect the layers and interest. I doubt this is the same recipe as the previous core bottling as the sherry is more pronounced and sweeter than before. There is still that backbone of ex-bourbon maturation which underlines everything  but the sherry influence is more to the fore. Of course with the strength and the more intense sherry notes it again comes back to frightening off new drinkers but I think people will get behind this very quickly after the usual soft and gentle regular whiskies.