The Toshan Man

Blackadder, the label from the foulmouthed but very funny Robin Tucek, already has some Auchentoshan on its resume. No less than 7 releases already in their Raw Cask series, which is known for the cask residue in every bottle. This is one of the more recent, bottled in 2015 at a cask strength of 52.3% ABV. It has a lovely dark color, which makes me believe it was a sherry hogshead. Let’s find out.

Well, its hard to say on the nose. I get some toffee, cocoa, blood oranges, but also some lemon zest and juicy pears. Wait… after a few moments some notes of espresso and cloves shine through. Yes, this was most likely a sherry cask. Anyway, it is very soft and sweet.

On the palate, it is silky soft, but now it’s all about the citrus fruit. Ginger, white pepper, cloves and a hint of saffron, but also some liquorice. The fruit turns candied and some fresh figs kick in. There is also a grand trace of woodsmoke! This is fun and does give it some extra depth. Nice balance!

The finish is wonderfully long on orangettes above a smouldering fire and again confirms the beautiful balance between the fruity spirit on the one hand and the spiciness of the wood on the other.

Yes, this is a fantastic Auchentoshan indeed.