Darkness 8 Year Old Sherry Cask Finished Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Will this be the single malt buy of the year? Probably, but don’t wait to find out. Get it now at this never to be repeated, freak clearance price.

Named for their emphasis on deeply coloured, sherry matured malts, the 'Darkness' series is the creation of Atom Brands, a sister company of a popular UK retailer. The core expression is this eight year old initially matured in ex-bourbon barrels before being transferred into custom-made first-fill Oloroso sherry octaves for three to six months. Finishing in small casks (80 litres or less) makes for a vastly increased surface area to volume ratio compared to the much larger sherry butts, leading to extra cask influence and more of those intense sherried notes we've all come to know and love. The liquid inside hails from an unnamed Speyside distillery that utilises worm tubs and two and a bit distillation – so whisky boffins should be able to narrow it down quite easily. This is set to be a continuous release in a range that was previously built around very limited editions, though the name of the game hasn't changed - big ol' helpings of sherried deliciousness await. The aromas develop with dates, fresh dried apricots and walnut slice moving towards moist fruit cake after extended air contact. Full bodied flavours of dark chocolate, tangy orange zest and fruit cake follow, rounded off with lovely oloroso character through the nutty, spiced-up finish. One quibble might be that the aftertaste pulls up slightly short, but in terms of overall intensity and flavour definition, Darkness delivers the goods. Bottling at a robust 47.8% ABV (instead of 40% like Glengoyne 10 or Macallan 12) means you get terrific bang for your buck. A winner of five gold medals at global competitions, it's also non-chill filtered without any additional colouring, and unlike its limited edition cousins, comes in a 700ml format.

Other reviews... This is a good sherried dram, which I think delivers against its name - I get those heavily sherried influences in the form of dark fruits, dark chocolate, and spice. While having a relatively younger age statement for scotch, those small octaves do have the effect of presenting a whisky where the flavours belie the age. This retails for around £50, which feels like a fair price for this good quality sherried whisky. - topwhiskies.com

Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Candied orange peels, chocolate peanuts, cooking spice warmth and some dried cherry. Palate: Amaretti biscuits, subtly toasty hints, powerful raisin and prune, just a touch of earthy oak lingers. Finish: Slightly oily with a hint of smoke, though chocolatey hints persist.

Double Gold - Independent Merchant Single Malt - 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition

Gold - Independents’ Single Malts 12 years old and under - 2020 International Spirits Challenge

Gold - Scotch Single Malt - Speyside - 2022 International Wine & Spirit Competition

Gold - Distillers' Single Malts 12 years and under - 2022 International Spirits Challenge

Gold - Speyside Single Malt 12 Years and Under - 2021 World Whiskies Awards