Speyside 9 Year Old 2014 Hogshead Imports

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Hogshead Imports, the independent bottler founded by Toon van Rooij, sources individual casks of carefully selected Scotch whisky. This 9-year-old Speyside from 2014, matured in a first-fill Vin Santo octave, showcases their willingness to take cask risks that pay off. While other Hogshead Vin Santo bottlings have sometimes veered savoury, this one strikes a cleaner, more balanced note. The Italian wine cask imparts a dark, vinous character. On the nose, raisins and prunes dominate, joined by red grapes, charred oak and bread crust, with hints of marmalade and treacle toffee suggesting red wine tannins. The palate unfolds in Super Tuscan style: the same dried fruits, but now layered with pepper, bark and earthy notes (wet soil). Considerable oak brings caramelized spice, gingerbread and orange peel. The finish runs long, on dried fruits, baking spice and a whisper of chocolate. There's always a mulled wine quality to this cask character, but this bottling proves that Vin Santo and young Speyside can harmonize when the spirit is right.

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