In my collection most bottles are part of a small batch. Single cask bottlings, dual cask sometimes as well. Some of them were distillery releases but most of them were released by independent bottlers. Helen Arthur, Ian MacLeod, Claxton’s, Kintra, The Ultimate and of course the big ones Signatory Vintage, Gordon & MacPhail and… Cadenhead’s. Last year I visited the Cadenhead shop in London, this year I was in Edinburgh and of course I visited the shop overthere as well.
It was a rainy mondaymorning in Edinburgh when I told my wife and children I just had to go and visit the shop at the Royal Mile. I arrived at 10.25 AM so I had to wait for a few minutes before entering as the first customer of the week.
It’s a small and cosy shop with only dummy bottles on the shelves. A first glance at the chalkboard told me that the choice of single malts wasn’t very big. I can understand why because all bottlings are small and popular batches. Luckily I’m not a single malt only drinker. One of my most recent purchases was a 24yo Cambus so I know a single grain whisky can be great too. The grain board shows some nice bottles and I decide to taste a few of them.
First I try a 28yo Cambus, keeping the taste of the 24yo Signatory Vintage in my collection in mind. Lovely stuff but I want to taste more before I buy. Next is a 25yo Invergordon. A different taste but very nice as well. Third in line is a 28yo Strathclyde. This one isn’t my favorite… I’m going for an Invergordon, not the 25yo though… I’m going for the 43yo which was distilled in 1972, my year of birth. I didn’t get the chance to taste it but the taste of the 25yo makes me confident enough to invest in this bottle.
Three days later it’s time to head back to Holland. We fly in the evening so there’s still time to visit the shop one more time… There still was some budget and one more bottle should fit in our suitcase as well… This time I’m only checking the board for a single malt. I select two whisky’s to choose from and taste both of them. The 12yo Ord has a lovely fruity sweetness, a 12yo Balmenach is more nutty with a marzipan sweetness. I like the fruits more so I buy the Ord.
Just like last year in London I fly home with two very nice bottles of Cadenhead whisky’s. Donald and Josh at Cadenhead Shop Edinburgh, thanks for helping me and letting me taste some of the jewels!
