The Hearach Oloroso Cask Matured is the second everlasting expression inside The Hearach single malt vary. It was launched precisely one yr after the distillery’s inaugural single malt on 24 September 2023.
It’s the identical evenly peated whisky (12-15 ppm), now matured in first fill Oloroso casks. The inaugural launch was a mixture of bourbon, Oloroso and Fino casks. Thus far so good, however I’ve two important remarks on this bottling.
Sherry casks come from Jerez alone
First, I seen the label doesn’t state Oloroso Sherry, solely Oloroso. That normally signifies the casks had been sourced from Montilla, Huelva or Malaga – areas which can be allowed to provide Oloroso-style wines. Nevertheless they’ll’t be named Oloroso sherry wines as a result of Sherry is a protected designation of origin, restricted to the area round Jerez de la Frontera. On the web site, they check with cask suppliers José y Miguel Martín they usually speak of “casks coopered in Huelva“. Alternatively additionally they point out ‘Oloroso sherry‘ in texts. If the casks had been in actual fact seasoned with correct Oloroso sherry, then I don’t see why they wouldn’t repeat this (relatively extra prestigious) declare on the official label? Intentionally obscure?
Be happy to learn my article on sherry casks for the whisky trade, in case you haven’t executed so already. So much has improved by way of transparency since I wrote it in 2017, however the info nonetheless stands.
My second downside lies within the idealised imagery they use in advertising. The distillery solely makes use of footage of historical black solera casks, and a bodega that I acknowledge because the Covijerez cooperative. These picturesque photographs clearly depict casks that maintain consuming sherry however I’m in no way satisfied these are those used to mature this whisky. It’s secure to imagine they used the ubiquitous seasoned casks, that are 1 or 2 years outdated as an alternative of 25-100 years just like the black casks in these overly romantic photographs. I requested Isle of Harris distillers on Twitter whether or not they actually used this type of historical ex-bodega cask, however I didn’t get a solution.
It’s all about transparency certainly
Isle of Harris explains “We wish to be clear and consider it’s vital for whisky drinkers to know what’s of their dram” so I believe they should keep crucial to themselves about how they current their Oloroso (sherry?) casks to customers.
The primary picture is Isle of Harris’ presentation of what their sherry casks appear to be (taken from their web site). I’ve added the following picture to provide you an thought of what J&M Martín’s fashionable seasoning premises actually appear to be. Thoughts that nearly each whisky distillery is utilizing the identical handful of cask suppliers, and there’s nothing improper with how these sherry casks are produced. Nevertheless I believe you shouldn’t simply use footage that check with centuries-old bodegas and the normal manufacturing of sherry wines while you’re speaking in regards to the fashionable (rapidly seasoned) sherry casks. Totally different industries. We wouldn’t settle for photographs of horses with ploughs and windmills both to elucidate how barley for whisky is produced, proper?
Many distilleries are typically blurring the traces of their advertising, by the way in which, so the issue goes past this specific launch. Rant over. Now onto the whisky.
The Hearach First Fill Oloroso Cask Matured (46%, OB 2024, 12.100 btl.)
Nostril: mildly sherried, with a spicy layer of cinnamon and kitchen cabinets with herb jars, mixing properly with the minty peat smoke within the background. Roasted thyme, together with some recent oak shavings. Then hints of walnuts and chocolate. For a first-fill sherry bottling it’s relatively light-weight, however nonetheless properly balanced.
Mouth: a natural form of peatiness once more (mint / eucalyptus), with very mild ashes however not a deeply smoky profile. That is matched to some caramel sweetness, extra walnuts and hints of orange peels. Softly roasted Mediterranean herbs once more, together with mild hints of vanilla. Then mild liquorice and black peppercorns. Darkish honey and delicate leathery notes in the direction of the tip.
End: somewhat brief maybe, however nonetheless very balanced. Hints of cocoa and liquorice, with barely tangy clove and heat ashes in the long run.
So there: regardless of reservations in regards to the advertising, the whisky itself is de facto convincing. In actual fact this raises the bar in comparison with the inaugural launch. You shouldn’t anticipate a sherry bomb, however the Oloroso affect enhances the comfortable peat very well.
Accessible from The Whisky Trade or Royal Mile Whiskies and loads of different retailers. There appear to be at the very least 4 batches without delay, distributed to completely different markets. Some retailers like TyndrumWhisky point out the precise batch quantity, others don’t. I’m not fully positive what the variations are anyway.
