Spencer Collings Founders Reserve 10 Year Old Cask Strength Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

A beautifully packaged whisky from a superstar marketer, who working for DCL/UDV in the 1980's, was responsible for the creation and launch of UDV's Classic Malt range and then went on to initiate other bar standards, like Johnnie Blue Label. This vatting includes undisclosed Speyside and Islay single malt whiskies matured in refill sherry butts of approx 105 Imperial gallons. A Northern Highland component was matured in a second fill American oak Bourbon barrel of 50 US gallons. The Speyside & Islay whiskies were later transferred to first fill Madeira barriques for finishing, so essentially this is a three wood whisky: Madeira / Bourbon / Oloroso sherry.

Tasting note: The nose is a little disjointed wavering between the sugars and a mildly sulphury, spirity lift. Five minutes finds more integration and depth, hinting at ginger bread, tea biscuits and flashes of orange zest. Light and bittersweet on entry but better at the midpalate stage; there's broad sweet malt flavours, vanilla and ginger biscuit carrying the finish. Ends tingly, warming, bittersweet, medium long, a tad sulphury in the fade; interesting but awkward at the same time. Not the happiest marriage. 54.5% Alc./Vol.