Introduction
Auchentoshan is a lowland distillery in the west of Scotland. I've tried their American Oak expression before, but not this three wood.
This is called three wood, because funnily enough, it is maturated in 3 different wood casks, namely:
- Pedro Ximénez Sherry casks
- American bourbon casks
- Oloroso Sherry casks
These apparently provide the usual liquid from Auchentoshan with a more 'distinctive' flavour. Let's see...
On the Nose
Very clear sherry influence, in the form of raisins, figs, sultanas, maybe some Turkish delight with dark chocolate. The spices come along in the form of cinnamon and ginger, with some undertones of orange peel, and stollen cake with marzipan (I've been eating this recently! 😄)
On the palate
Actually, unlike a lot of whiskies, this tastes exactly like the nose! Plenty of dried fruit and maple syrup, some cinnamon and ginger again, with oranges and chocolate. Bitterness in the finish, possibly woody notes causing that, but overall balanced with the sweeter notes.
Conclusion
It was nice, but didn't blow me away! Coming in at between £40-£62 online, it didn't connect with me as much as some other drams in that price range. In all honesty, for a sherry finished whisky, it was a bit predictable and almost boring, and I'm a sherry whisky lover!
I'm glad I've tried it and may visit the distillery someday as it's relatively close to me, but on this occasion, the liquid wasn't anything special.
Want to try it for yourself?
Why not try Auchentoshan Three Wood for yourself? You can pick up a bottle online at any of the following retailers:
This dram was tried via a Flaviar Christmas Advent Calendar. Interested in joining flaviar, a premium spirits club? You'll get premium tasting packs, full bottles of whisky, as well as early access to future Whisky Advent Calendars! You can find out more HERE.