The Druids 2005 Orkney Spirit V 15 yo

 

 

 

57,6°

Distillery Officially Unknown - Islands

1st Fill Pedro Ximénez Sherry Hogshead Finish

Independent Bottling 

By Whisky Druid 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2020

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Slightly Peated 

 

 

 

Founded in 2018, the small German company Whisky Druid has only around 30 bottlings. But its owner is Michel Reick, who also founded Best Dram, The Old Friends and Scotch Universe. He also runs a bar in Münster, by the way. In the course of his many occupations, this gentleman has launched the Orkney Spirit series, bringing together 5 bottlings, all from a mysterious distillery on the main island of Orkney. We're going to pretend that it might be Scapa. This one is the fifth, and therefore the last. Aged 15 years, it spent 12 years in an unknown cask, probably a Bourbon barrel, and the last three years of its maturation in a Pedro Ximénez Sherry Hogshead. 291 bottles were offered for sale.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Full-bodied and fruity, with a hint of charcoal. Vigorous hints of malted barley. Cherry, raspberry, but also apricot. Amber honey. Smoother and more balanced with a drop of water. An indulgent leatheriness, typical of Pedro Ximénez. Notes of cinnamon and clove. Apple and orange chutney. Orange peel. Green olives. Very discreet, the distillery's markers, bush, heather. Pear compote. On the palate, the fruit and spices stand out, quince and rhubarb jam, cumin, black pepper. Royal jelly, coconut. Quite a long, explosive finish, nougatine and tomato juice, carrot, spiced meatballs. Slight chilli. A few blocks of charcoal.

 

In Short, 

Very good. Unlike what has been said, the distillery's profile is not hidden, you can still feel it, behind heavy loads of Sherry. There's no sulphur either. I'm a big fan of this kind of product, very rich in Sherry, but which doesn't completely lose its identity. What's more, it's a bit dirty. Unfortunately, it's sold out, but you can find it from time to time at auction, at a tempting price.

Score : 90  

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Trivium - Until the World Goes Cold

Caol Ila 2011 The Old Friends 9 yo

 

 

 

58,4°

Distillery : Caol Ila - Islay 

Saint-Emilion Wine Barrique

Independent Bottling 

By The Old Friends 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 35 ppm

 

 

 

Let's talk about Michel Reick again, happy owner of a whisky bar in Münster, Germany. He also founded no less than 4 whisky trading companies: The Old Friends, but also Best Dram, Whisky Druid and Scotch Universe. This young Caol Ila has been fully aged for 9 years and two months in a Saint-Emilion cask, a very good wine from the Bordeaux region in France. The mummy cask gave birth to 305 little glass babies, and I hastened to welcome one for my humble comfort. This bottling comes from a series of three from the same distillery, the first aged in a barrique of Pomerol, the second in a Ruby Port cask, this is the third and last, also the oldest.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

For two seconds I get a good whiff of the Caol Ila nose, then it's compotey, fruity, apples, quinces, cinnamon. Iodine and sweet smoke, humus, damp earth, vegetal moss. The winey character emerges and blends very well with the smoke. It's heathery, but also sweet, liquorice, powdered chocolate. At the end, the peat becomes more present, with some exotic fruits, papaya, pineapple, mango. A breath of citrus. Grapefruit, blood orange. Cardamom, dust, beach sand, a pinch of saffron. Velvety, woody palate, liquorice comes through, then spices, thyme, pepper, cumin, cloves. Pinch of salt. Pistachio Loukoum with icing sugar, meringue, genoise. Long, fairly powerful, bushy finish, ferns, cola, crunchy coal, candied pears. Apple candy. Dried bananas, dates.

 

In Short, 

Very interesting, this youngster. The specific Caol Ila iodine is erased by the influence of the cask, on the other hand I found the ashy peat, this full ashtray, this feeling of licking asphalt. All combined with ripe fruits, but without excess sugar. To me, it's the ideal daily dram, moreover the price is very accommodating, but I've been told it was divisive.

Score : 89

                                           To Be Listened Wihle Sipping :

 

                                           Audioslave - Like a Stone

The Druids 2009 Orkney Spirit III 9 yo

 

 

 

63,6°

Distillery Officially Unknown - Islands

1st Fill Pedro Xoménez Sherry Octave Casks 

Independent Bottling 

By Best Dram 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2019

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 20 ppm

Michel Reick is the proud owner of a whisky bar in Münster, Germany. He also founded no less than 4 whisky trading companies, of which I think Best Dram is the best known. The others are The Old Friends, Whisky Druid and Scotch Universe. The Druids is a series of 5 bottlings from a mysterious distillery in Orkney, not called Scapa. Here we have the Tome III, aged in two Pedro Ximénez sherry casks and released in a limited edition of just 75 bottles.

Let's Taste It : 

Nice iodised freshness, typical of Highland Park. Honey, ashy vanilla. Pungent heather. A touch of limestone. Litchi, peach. Crushed almonds. The sea breeze. Cotton just harvested. Banana cream. Lemon zest. Argan oil. With the addition of water, a sweet, syrupy smoke rises. Thick, stringy, ashy peat. On the palate, it's soft at first, then the alcohol creeps in. Quite a punch, though. Spices, pepper, aniseed, paprika. Nice sweetness. Woody, light fruit. Very long, coal-like finish that turns you over nicely. Cumin, grapefruit. A bit bitter.

 

In Short, 

I really enjoyed it, the peat is intense, without hiding the distillery's hallmarks, which are really well highlighted. What's more, the sherry adds body to the whole, and the nose in particular is fantastic. Not to spoil anything, the price is just right. It's a shame that this edition is now impossible to find, otherwise I'd settle for a bottle.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                          Hooverphonic - 2 Wicky