Glencadam is a Scotch distillery that sells to blends. Oh, were you expecting more? A detailed view of it all? Nope. They survived the 80s, have been working hard, had five OB releases in the oughts but I can’t seem to find anything saying if they are still making them.
Glencadam 22 1976 Vintage Collection Signatory is the first Glencadam I’ve come across. It’s a Highland, so my bias is showing and I shunned it. But perhaps I was wrong. Perhaps it’s the one to change my mind.
I mean… it’s a 22-year-old malt brought out by an Independent Bottler I enjoy. There’s a good chance I may enjoy it. Let’s see, shall we?
Price: € 266
Region: Highland
Vintage: 03.03.1976
Bottled: 24.04.1998
Cask Number: 85/73/1
Bottle No. 160 of 225
Abv: 57%
Colour: 10YR 7/8
Nose: Musty, ginger, strawberry, cotton candy, plum
Starts out dusty, then some spice and sherry influence. Then a lot of sherry influence. Sherry might have bought out the candy store in this one, very sweet. Water brings out more of that.
Taste: Blueberry, ginger, oak, corn syrup, grassy
More bitter at this point if you add water. Sweet, oak, more raw sweet, then bitter/vegetal. What an odd duck.
Finish: Blueberry, hops, earth, Nordic licorice, mineral, wax
Okay, for a simple dram this finishes like some super Clynelish. It’s waxy enough for even a wax-blind taster like myself to notice. Sweet, floral, bitter again, and spicy, with mineral at the base as well.
Conclusion: Strong, bitter, sweet, odd, and fun. Like Clynelish’s weird brother who takes a lot of shrooms. If this is what they make then let’s get some more of these, alright? Cause Clynelish-like sherry twins are what I want.
That said, there’s a ton of unbalanced sweetness on the nose and some raw aspects in the taste. The finish really, really pulls it up. Consider those the magical bootstraps in a saying that’s lost it’s true meaning, if you will.
83/100
Scotch review #1190, Highland review #201, Whisky Network review #1832
tomoderawhisky.ca 