WF’s Little Duos, today sherried Speyburn


February 10, 2025

WF’s Little Duos, today sherried Speyburn

It seems that all salmon are now polluted, but those featured on the official Speyburn labels certainly are not! However, today we’ll be tasting two independent bottlings. By the way, did you know that Speyburn was the first distillery to replace its traditional floor malting with drums? As early as 1900!

A bottle of Nocino aged in Demerara rum casks, by Silver Seal.

Speyburn 16 yo 2007/2023 (54.9%, The First Editions, Taiwan, sherry butt, cask #HL20323, 582 bottles)

It’s charming to see the cat and the dog toasting together on the label, though I must admit, I’ve never witnessed such a thing in real life. Although, I suppose some cats I know might... Colour: pale gold. A pale hue for a first-fill sherry butt, though perhaps that one was intended for maturations ‘under flor’. The nose is delightfully fermentary, full of chalk and clay, then beer, sourdough, and beautifully ripe apples. It almost brings to mind macerated white wine. With water: grapeseed oil, more apples, hints of mashed banana, and plasticine—all lively, joyful, and decidedly ‘natural’. Mouth (neat): excellent, always showcasing that chalky profile we love (think Champagne), with lovely tension. Apples, grapefruit, pepper, green tea, and amaretti. With water: it’s truly outstanding, maltier now, with charming bitters evoking Campari and nocino from Modena—vai vai vai! The nocinos from Silver Seal are fabulous; if you don’t know them, you really must. Finish: long, rich, still fermentary, yeasty, peppery, chalky, but with the addition of ripe apples and a hint of lemon blossom honey in the aftertaste. Comments: you can’t imagine how much pleasure it gives me to taste this little gem of a Speyburn pulled from the back of the cupboard.
SGP:561 - 87 points.

Speyburn 15 yo 2008/2024 (60.2%, Gordon & MacPhail, Connoisseurs Choice, first fill sherry butt, cask #552, 644 bottles)

Colour: light gold. Nose: this time it’s very buttery, lactic, and mashy, reminiscent of that classic mashed potato recipe—½ potato, ½ butter, ½ olive oil. I know. There’s also plenty of pine resin, although everything lightens up over time, heading towards orchard fruits. There remains a hint of mashed green peas. With water: a hectolitre of Scottish ale (naturally). Mouth (neat): much closer to the First Editions bottling here, with grapefruit and green walnuts, though the mashy/mushy pea character persists. With water: it softens quite a bit, but the lactic and distinctly fermentary side remains. Finish: long, with bread, green banana, grey pepper, and… mashed potatoes and green pea purée, mixed 50/50. Comments: not the easiest malt, but we enjoy the challenge here. The First Editions bottling still has the upper hand—graciously so, let’s say.
SGP:451 - 85 points.

In both cases, it’s fair to say that the sherry hasn’t gone overboard.

Check the index of all Speyburn we've tasted so far