Knappogue Castle 17 Year Twin Wood
While the trend in cask finishes is not as prominent in Irish whiskies as they are in scotch, you can still find them. Knaggogue Castle put out a limited release, distilled in 1994 and bottled in 2011, featuring a spirit finished in sherry casks. The Knappogue Castle 16 spent a few short months being finished in ex-sherry casks, and this release extends that sherry maturation. The Knappogue Castle 17 Year is somewhat limited (our bottle proclaims it as number 104 out of 4500), it doesn’t carry the rarity or price of the truly limited releases from the distillery and finding a bottle isn’t terribly difficult. So far, at least!
World Whisky Day 2016
Scotchology is celebrating World Whisky Day for the third year in a row by offering a tasting in Saint Paul, MN. We can’t wait to make this a unique and informative event like previous years. To celebrate the global nature of World Whisky Day, we found quality whiskies from all over the world (a task that seems to get more difficult each year). We spend every other month of the year featuring Scotch, so this is an opportune time to try some of the excellent malts being made in countries whose patron is NOT Saint Andrew. Grab a glass and join us!
Highland Park 15 Year
Highland Park is known in using sherry casks throughout their core expressions for the entire aging process, not just a finish. Whereas the 12 and 18 year whiskies use mainly Spanish oak, the Highland Park 15 uses American oak (though not American sherry, thankfully). Not content with one cask alteration, the 15 is aged in 30% first fill sherry casks and 70% refill. While not in the same class of exclusivity as Highland Park’s Valhalla Collection, it is a little more elusive than the celebrated 12 year expression.