Sunday, 30 November 2025

Cadenhead's Peated Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 2025

 
 
 
57,7°
Distilleries : Caol Ila, Bunnahabhain and others - Scotland
Independent Bottling 
By William Cadenhead Limited 
Limited Edition
Blended Malt 
Launched in 2024
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength
Heavily Peated
 
 
 
In a number of Cadenhead shops, you can find demijohns filled with whisky. There are three of them: one for Bourbon, one for Sherry and one for Peated. It is impossible to know exactly what is inside them, as the contents change depending on what is added over the months. You can have a bottle filled by hand, either 20 cl or 70 cl. So I was able to taste a sip of Peated Blended Malt from a bottle that had been filled in 2025, with an alcohol content of 57.7%. I was assured that the two distilleries most used are Caol Ila and Bunnahabhain, but nothing is known about the others.
 
 
 

Let's Taste It : 
Quite oily peat on the nose, with hints of the sea, silt, seaweed, kelp, and a good dose of sea spray, whelks, razor clams, oysters, mussels, limestone and quartz, chalky rock, tar, creamy vanilla, and a vague zest of lemon. On the palate, it is rough, the peat becomes earthy, a little drier, dark chocolate and coffee, bottarga, Morteau sausage, lots of pepper and cloves. Banana, perhaps lychee. Quite a long and powerful finish, chalk and fuel oil, some subtle fruit, yam, black radish, a few drops of citrus.
 
In Short, 
For me, it's the perfect daily dram. The alcohol content is a little strong, admittedly, but it has character and lovely contrasts between the peaty, mineral and maritime notes and the fruits that linger in the background. It's powerful and intense, which is just how I like it. I admit it lacks a little subtlety, but that's why it's a daily dram. It offers good value for money and is worth trying. 
Score : 88
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 
 
                                           Frankie and The Witch Fingers - Empire

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