Back
in 1058, there was a Scottish king named Malcolm. He was referred to as “Great
Chief,” or Canmore, by his people. He
was bold and ambitious, constantly proving his strength and leadership while he
sought to expand his territory. His reign was the first in a line of rulers
that lasted about 200 years. The House of Canmore was well-respected, but the
dynasty ended at the death of Alexander III and only because he had no heir.
Last
week, I wrote about Charles Edge London and Scots Gold 12-Year Scotch.
You can read more about Charles Edge in that review.
Charles Edge London has another brand named in Malcolm’s honor: Canmore.
There are two versions: Canmore and Canmore 12. Both are single malts; one is
age-stated, and the other not. Today I’m exploring the latter.
Canmore
12 is sourced from an undisclosed Highland distillery and aged a dozen years in
former Bourbon barrels. Packaged at 40% ABV (80°), you can expect to acquire a
750ml bottle for around $49.99. That’s about in line with many other 12-year
single malts.
How’s
Canmore 12 taste? The only way to answer that is to #DrinkCurious, but
before I do, I must thank Charles Edge London for providing a sample in
exchange for a no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s do this!
Appearance: Served
neat in my Glencairn glass, this whisky was bronze. It formed a medium rim that
glued itself to the wall, and only after some patience did it release slow,
very slow, sticky droplets.
Nose: Canmore was one of those whiskies that you can
smell from across the room. I know this because Mrs. Whiskeyfellow said, “Wow,
that’s fragrant,” yet I was sitting about six feet from her. Raisin, dried
apricot, overripe apple, oak, and a mushroom cloud of orange peel rose from the
glass. When I took the air into my mouth, it was still all orange peel.
Palate: The mouthfeel was medium-bodied and offered
an oily texture. The front of my palate found a mass of orange peel, raisin,
and green grape, while the middle featured an earthy quality, joined by nutmeg
and vanilla. Then, I tasted chocolate, cinnamon, and oak on the back.
Finish: The duration was medium-to-long, with orange,
cinnamon, nutmeg, oak, and rich fudge.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Canmore 12 is a decidedly different Scotch. I’ve
had single malts that smell and taste of sherry without the use of any sherry
casks. The orange notes dominated nearly everything except the finish. For
whatever reason, the fudge at the very end cleansed
the experience from that heavy orange citrus. While I enjoy orange, I had
difficulty discerning the rest of what this whisky offered. I’d prefer it was less
so, and because of that, I’m giving this Scotch a Bar rating. Cheers!
My Simple, Easy to
Understand Rating System
- Bottle = Buy It
- Bar = Try It
- Bust = Leave It
Whiskeyfellow encourages
you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you do so responsibly.
Cannae help but wonder what this whisky might've presented like at a higher abv. I just don't understand reducing to 40%. It strips so much of the viscosity and thins the whisky's complexity.
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