Chooper's Choice Family Silver

Cooper's Choice is the independent bottler arm of The Vintage Malt Whisky Company, known for inventive single cask releases. The brand name honours the cooper – the skilled craftsman who has made and maintained wooden casks since the Middle Ages, a trade passed down through generations. Family Silver is a blended malt built from three distilleries: two grain whiskies (Invergordon and Garnheath) and Lochside as the malt component.

This 17-year-old was distilled in 2001 and matured in a sherry butt, which accounts for its pronounced sweet and fruity character. It represents the opposite approach to mass-market blending – a small batch assembly rather than the typical 15–50 component blend.

The nose opens with ripe stone fruits, apple, pineapple and honey, joined by walnut and a trace of mint. The palate reveals walnut oil, cocoa, apricot jam and orange, with a waxy mouthfeel and bright citrus notes. The finish holds oaky and oily, with deep woody tones that gradually fade.