This
is the final entry of a four-part review series of Single Malt Scotches from
independent bottlers. The first, which includes an explanation of what (or who)
independent bottlers are, is here.
Today’s
featured independent bottler is Uncharted
Whisky Co., founded by Jack Breslin and Dana de Vos
in 2020 in the village of Fintry, Scotland.
“We have been working for years in Scotland’s booming drinks industry across what seems like countless different roles. However, we’ve now settled on doing exclusively that which we love- indy bottling of cracking whisky.
We select exceptional spirits and marry them with exceptional casks to create off the grid bottling for our customers. Everything we bottle has passed the Jack and Dana test. We have to love it before we bottle it. Everything is done by hand and in tiny batches.” – Uncharted Whisky Co.
The
subject whisky from Uncharted Whisky Co. is a single malt Scotch from the Auchroisk Distillery. Founded in 1972 near Rothes by Justerini & Brooks Company, the distillery took two years to complete and start
production. The fun fact about Auchroisk is that the name doesn’t have an
official pronunciation! Management pronounces the name Och reusk; locals
pronounce the Gaelic name like Ach Rask. The name itself means “Ford on
the red river.”
Most
of what Auchroisk distills is used for J&B Blended Scotch.
At one time, it was exporting younger single malts to Japan; however, that’s no
longer the case. Currently, Auchroisk does not offer any “house” whiskies; retail
bottles are only available via independent bottlers.
The Whiskey Lab specializes in procuring rare and exclusive Scotch whiskies for the American market. It was founded by Jay Roberts and Mark Sumlin in 2020. Mark wound up exploring other opportunities in 2024. Everything The Whiskey Lab offers is naturally colored and non-chill filtered.
“Thunderstruck” 7-Year Auchroisk Sherry Bomb was given to me in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. It can
be purchased from The Whiskey Lab’s website.
Now, let’s #DrinkCurious and discover what Thunderstruck is all about!
- Region: Speyside
- Mashbill: 100% malted barley
- Age: 7 years
- Cooperage: 1st Fill Oloroso Finish
- Alcohol Content: 59.1% ABV (118.2°)
- 700mL Price: $105.00
- Number of Bottles: 585
Appearance: I
poured this Scotch into my Glencairn glass to sip neat. Inside, the burnt-umber
liquid generated a medium-thin rim with fast, medium-spaced tears.
Nose: I
waited about ten minutes before exploring the aroma. Once ready, I smelled cherries,
almonds, hazelnuts, cocoa, leather, and tobacco leaf. Drawing the air into my
mouth, I encountered rich, dark chocolate.
Palate: Thunderstruck’s
texture was oily and thin, and the first things I tasted were cigars, fresh leather,
and roasted almonds. Rum-soaked fruitcake (the kind you actually want to eat,
not the crap everyone re-gifts) came next. Cocoa nibs, caramel, and dry oak were
on the back.
Finish: A slow,
building finish included flavors of dry oak, cigar, cocoa, and fruitcake remaining,
with the dry oak outlasting everything. It hit its crescendo and fell off at 2:32,
making it very long.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: How the
Oloroso Sherry interacted with the whisky (including its color) made me wonder how
long the “finishing” cycle was. It couldn’t have been a short duration, and I’m
also curious how wet the barrel was (UPDATE: I was informed today that it sat three years in the 1st Fill Oloroso cask). Thunderstruck is a Sherry bomb drinker’s Sherry
bomb. I caught myself saying “Wow” a few times, at least once almost 30 minutes
later when I discovered a dry Sherry component still in my throat!
I would be silly to rate
Thunderstruck as anything other than Bottle. If you relish Sherry bombs,
you’ll want to grab one. 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 to do so responsibly.
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