Edradour Dougie MacLean's Caledonia Selection 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

"...rather rich but unexpectedly refreshing for Edradour. One of the good ones, I like it. " - whiskyfun.com

Originally released in 1997 as a US exclusive, this special bottling was initially matured in Bourbon casks for approximately five years followed by an extended period in oloroso sherry casks. Described by the boys at Edradour as "an old fashioned whisky for those looking for how it used to be made", the aim here has been to retain maximum flavour for your buck. The story goes MacLean was visiting Edradour and helped select the first cask for bottling. Clearly, Maclean has talents besides songwriting as this has been an ongoing success. Named after his famous tune, "Caledonia", Maclean reflects on his choice, adding, “I wrote Caledonia, in 1977 on a beach in Brittany, France, when I was genuinely homesick for Scotland. My life has always been based in Perthshire. For me, the location of Edradour, with its neat cluster of whitewashed buildings, traditional equipment and employment of ancient methods of making single malt whisky, combined with its state of the art bottling facility, typify Caledonia.”

The first thing that attracts you to this whisky is its natural deep topaz colour which makes it look older than its age statement. Then there's the intense medley of dried fruits on the nose that's like Christmas cake with a touch of ginger bread in later passes. The theme continues in a rich and textural mouthfeel with juicy raisin, spiced stewed fruits and warming cinnamon heat. The finish is vivacious more than sweet, developing spicy oak and late fruitiness of a dark chocolate kind. These bottlings are reported to vary from batch to batch. All said, this one comes across as a well poised, buxom beauty from a squeaky clean sherry cask. 46% Alc./Vol. Non-chill-filtered.

Other reviews... about as thick as it gets. Nose this and fruit is soon dripping off your proboscis...the lingering oils confirm a wide cut has been made those dozen years back...Gosh, hold onto your hats, this is some ride! 91 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2016

[circa 2009 bottling]...Colour: full gold. Nose: sometimes some Edradours are difficult because of their, say unusual profile, but sometimes that profile can be an asset, especially when it’s not too obvious. Yes, talking about that kind of soapiness that, in fact, isn’t really soapy, rather ‘bizarrely leathery’ if you see what I mean. Anyway, it’s well here in this Caledonia but blended with several very nice aromas such as chestnut honey, cured ham (Jabugo, really) and just touches of camphor that go very well with the whole. Also some flinty notes and just wee whiffs of gunpowder. Mouth: I think this one’s got all the good sides of Edradour. Marrons glacés, orange cake, marmalade, some leather and chlorophyll (gums), hints of kummel and cardamom, grapefruits… Nice profile, probably cleaner than usual. Liquorice allsorts. Pleasant, creamy mouth feel. Finish: rather long, coating, a tad jammier now. Chocolate-dipped orange zests. Comments: rather rich but unexpectedly refreshing for Edradour. One of the good ones, I like it.  83 points - whiskyfun.com

[circa 2022 bottling]...I added a touch of water to this dram and it seemed to mellow out some of the spice, turning it more silky smooth. Butterscotch and pecans develop more with that added dash of water, but I’d be careful in adding too much here. Overall this is a delicious and chewy whisky. It packs so much flavour, so much that one or two drams would be enough. A great dessert whisky. It’s nicely complex and delivers on value. I’d happily pay the retail for this bottle and restock when this inevitably gets polished off. A touch on the dirty side palate wise, which is right up my street. Not as dirty as say a Mortlach, but a welcoming surprise as it opens up. - dramface.com

Full sherry impact, but contained—not excessive or sappy. Rich, with nutty toffee, pot still rum, a variety of raisins (regular and golden), date, honeyed fruit, polished leather, and a hint of tobacco. Good resinous grip on the finish to balance the sweetness. The flavors are nicely integrated. 87 points - whiskyadvocate.com (Summer 2010) Reviewed by: John Hansell