EScotland, Central Highlands: Single malt whisky through the producing distilleries: history, making, production and tasting notes

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Edradour

Description of the whisky

The distillery

Edradour distillerie
Edradour Distillery
Pitlochry,
Perthshire
PH16 5JP
+44 1796 472 095
Owner: Signatory
Creation date 1837

Photos Comments

The oldest official documents say the first distillery in Edradour has been build in 1837.
However it seems that some farmers joined in a kind of cooperative society as soon as 1825 to produce their legal whisky, mostly for their own consumption, sharing the costs. This cooperative was that successful that they decided in 1841 to produce for the market.
The distillery has been owned by different people before being taken over in 1933 by William Whiteley who made Edradour the main component of his then famous blend, King Ransome. Other blends containing Edradour are House of Lords and Clan Campbell.
More recently, the French group Pernod-Ricard took the control over the distillery in 1992 through Campbell Distillers, and sold it to the in dependant bottler Signatory Vintage on 22 july 2002.
Edradour is the smallest distillery of Scotland. Just 3 people are working full time at the distillery.

The whisky

A propos des notes de dégustation Your own tasting notes

List of the bottles

Description of the distillery

See Help 0 - 40 € 40 - 80 € 80 - 120 € 120 - 160 € 160 - 200 € 200 - 240 € 240 - 280 € > 280 €
Edradour: official bottlings
 

Edradour 10 years
Age
 10 years
Alcohol
 40%
Bottler
 Official
=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
 Edradour 10
  The colour is deep amber, the sweet nose is malted with some acid and fruity hints.
The palate is dryer and marked by the spices (pepper and mint) and the cereals.
The finish, rather long has an elegant fruity sweetness. A pleasant malt with a nice presence..

(la Maison du Whisky)

 The smallest distillery of Scotland makes one of the greatest whiskies. This official version aged 10 is excellent. The smell and the taste are so characteristic that it makes Edradour one of the rare whiskies a non expert lover recognizes immediately. A mix of pepper and mint overcome the nose first, then the mouth. A very interesting finish, which could however be a little bit longer, according to me.
18/20
The second tasting just confirmed the first one. The nose is really characteristic, and a kind of soap taste mixed with some sherry makes it easy to recognize this whisky from the very first nosing. In the palate, a soap-like aftertaste mixed with some sweet and spicy hints. A real delight. The finish is very pleasant.
18/20
The nose is definitely special. It denotes clearly hints somewhere between soap and sherry, with some discrete fruity notes on the background. The kind of smells one loves or one hates. And according to how you appreciate this kind of flavours, you will really love this whisky or just decide to poor it into the drain. The taste is just in touch with the nose. Rather marked by sherry notes, and yet this taste of soap and sherry mixed with some slight fruit hints. The finish is quite bitter, lingering and marked by fruits too.
18/20
The nose is marked by discrete sherry hints and a clear metallic and yeast dominant. It is rather complex even if it is not really pleasant. This nose is really typical as it is the only whisky I immediately recognise at the very first nosing.
The mouth is quite similar. Hints of gingerbread and still this metallic (sulphur) taste.
The finish is rather pleasant but remains in the same notes as mouth and nose.
I used to appreciate this whisky years ago, but I consider it to be deceiving now. Tastes can change with the time...
16/20
 

Comment by Bill Balafas

This is a must have in the cabinet. Although I favor peaty Scotch, Edradour 10 is very delicate and complex. Only share with friends who appreciate good Scotch.

Comment by Johannes Sauer

C.: Bright amber, straw gold, light
N.: Dried fruits, figs, dates and ripe bananas, for sure the first impression is a strong sherry note, the malty notes are soft in the background waiting for discovering, a very shy smoky note is very much kept in the background. I wish there was more behind this very lively fruit cocktail.
T.: The malt steps forward taking care for little more complexity of the overall impression, the fruity aromes make it a very soft and easy going but also not very demanding dram. I miss the wooden or smoky notes which make for example a Macallen so great.... A little water added accentuates even the already dominating fruity approach without setting something against.
F.: Easy come and easy go, a light and pleasurable dram leaving soft malty traces! on the tongue.
16/20

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Edradour
Distillery edition 10 years
Age
 10 years
Alcohol
 40
Bottler
 Signatory
=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
 Edradour distillery edition
 

The typical smell of Edradour announces a very great whisky. The taste, somewhere between sherry and soap (?) is marked by grilled barley. A very fresh whisky. This special edition is different from the traditional 10 years old version. A very pleasant and surprising finish... 
18/20
The nose is a bit disconcerting, with its spicy and rather complex notes, marked by sherry and other liquorice and medicinal touches. In the palate, the liquorice tones are dominating, on a background of soap and malt. The finish is quite long and here again this liquorice dominant tones are present.
17/20

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Edradour: independent bottlings
 

Edradour
Straight from the cask
Age
 11 years
Alcohol
 59,2%
Particularity
 Cask Strength
Single Cask
Non chill filtered
Cask
 Sherry
Bottler
 Signatory
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
 
  The colour is coppery with orange glints. The nose is marked by grilled nuts, liquorice and malted barley hints.
The well balanced palate reveals citrus fruits (orange, grapefruit) and fresh fruits (peach). It goes on on dry fruits (nose, grapes)
The finish comes back on grilled malted barley.

.

(la Maison du Whisky)

 Sherry marked cask strength, this single cask is really remarkable. The high alcohol percentage does not hinder the tasting, but some drops of water are welcome. All the typical Edradour fragrances are present in the excellent bottling. An aftertaste of violet is masked by the sherry, mixed to some acid hints make it a very great malt. A long finish prolongs the happiness....
19/20
The second tasting completely confirmed the first one. Nothing to add or to withdraw.
19/20
The very complex nose is typical of an Edradour, sherry mixed with some violet and liquorice hints. In the mouth, a firework of flavours, from violet and sherry to malt and citrus fruits, with some rather clear nut touches. A very nice finish, confirming the nice tastes in the palate and the flavours the nose recognized. A great success
19/20
The first nose is quite "farmy", and evokes the smell of a wet dog who rolled around in toasted barley. Some smoke and a touch of peat as well. Some tingling also. The mouth is marked by this typical Edradour taste, some wood, some bitterness, a metallic impression, a light taste of sulphur, but the whole gives a taste one loves or one hates. Personally, I like it. The rather high percentage of alcohol does not hinder at all. The finish is long and in the mood of the mouth, with this sulphur remain which stays in the throat for a while.
18/20
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Edradour
Straight from the cask
Burgundy finish

Age
 10 years
Alcohol
 58,8%
Particularity
 Cask Strength
Single Cask
Non chill filtered
Cask
 Burgundy wine
Bottler
 Signatory
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
 Edradour burgundy finish
 
A very fruity smell characterizes this cask strength without hiding the typical Edradour fragrances. Despite the high degree of alcohol, no burn impression in the palate. A very complex taste,  increased by the alcohol, where some sherry impressions come back, before a wonderful and very long finish. An excellent bottle.
19/20
A powerful nose, clearly marked by what I first expected to be sherry, but which later appeared to bo much more on a fruity register, with hints of chocolate, nuts and slightly woody touches. Anyway, this announces a very complex whisky. In the palate, this complexity is confirmed, with a first slightly acid impression, red fruits but developing quickly on cereal and nutty hints, and finishes on a very elegant woody touch. A very nice finish too, really long where all the complexity of the palate just goes on for our greatest pleasure.
19/20
A nose amazingly pleasantly marked by both something close to sherry and clear medicinal notes. Touches of gentian or cough pills.
In the palate, the presence of sherry seems to be obvious, combined with rich refined woody impressions, cough pills, malty smoothness and lots of character. Very complex and extremely pleasant mouth.
The finish is not bad neither and the feelings of the mouth are coming back here. First a slight bitterness followed bay some medicinal notes together with sherryish and malty smoothness. The finish is rather long, even though without exaggeration.
19/20
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Edradour
Vintage 1976
Age
 25 years
Alcohol
 50,9
Particularity
 Cask Strength
Bottler
 Signatory
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
 Edradour 25
 The colour is deep gold yellow. The nose is marked by cereals and ripe fruits.
The palate is full and refined and reveals the sweetness of malted barley and ripe fruits (prune, pear)/
The smooth finish goes on on spices (cinnamon) and citrus fruits.

(la Maison du Whisky)

 The typical taste and fragrances of the Edradour whiskies are present in this remarkable bottle. A slight prominence of sherry in the smell and the taste. A great complexity, varying form fruity malt to sherry, through some slightly medicinal hints. A exceptionally long finish makes this bottling unforgettable, but its price makes it difficult to approach...
18/20
The nose detects some slight medicinal smells on a malted background. In the palate, the taste is clearly dominated by medicinal hints, and some other tastes, like citrus fruit are hardly perceptible. The Edradour style is however still present. The finish is marked by the presence of a medicinal after taste, reminding ether.
17/20
Un nez franc et médicinal, légèrement acide avec de beaux relents fumés. En bouche, un goût légèrement soufré, métallique mais loin d'être désagréable, typique de la distillerie Edradour. Une belle finale relativement longue, marquée elle aussi par une certaine acidité, et une présence incontestable d'alcool.
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Edradour
Distilled 1992
Signatory's Un-Chill filtered Collection
Age
 10 years
Alcohol
 46%
Particularity
 Non chill filtered
Single Cask
Cask
 Sherry
Bottler
 Signatory
=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
 Edradour 1992
 The colour is old gold with amber glints. The nose detects some praline, prune and honey hints.
The perfumed palate is liquorice, fruity (apple, apricot) and spicy (pepper)
The finish is sweet and recalls toffee and malted barley. This single malt needs to be aired to reveal all its smoothness and fragrances.
 The smallest distillery of Scotland (recently taken over by Signatory) produces generally a great whisky with pleasant spicy hints. This non chill filtered bottling is specially remarkable, from the moment one is used to drink unfiltered whisky. A very great moment in the life of a whisky lover.
18/20
During the second tasting, is was really obvious sherry was dominating. From the very first contact, a sweet and pleasant smell. The palate detects some slightly spiced hints, followed by a rather long finish.
18/20
The nose is clearly marked by sherry and a characteristic smell, which is typical for Edradour. A kind of liquorice and violet flavour. In the palate, the first impression is also dominated by this typical perfume and a rather strong impression of alcohol. A kind of complexity however. The finish is lingering and pleasant, sweet and perfumed.
17/20
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Edradour
Decanter Collection

Age
 14 years
Alcohol
 56,7%
Cask
 Sherry
Particularity
 Cask Strength
Single Cask
Non chill filtered
Bottler
 Signatory
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
 Edradour decanter
The colour is amber with orange glints. The nose detects fine candied orange notes .
The palate is powerful and smooth. Woody hints are present, due to the sherry influence. The malt also has some fruity character (peach skin).
The finish is marked by pepper and nutmeg.
A powerfully smell where sherry is not the least component, but where sherry is not dominating neither because of its floral accompaniment which makes it especially pleasant. The palate however reveals sherry very clearly, and the high alcohol degree does not hide the other hints. A complex whisky, recalling the other Edradour's, pleasant and very fine. A rather long finish (which does not allow the drinker to forget about the sherry...) with some spicy hints.
18/20
A very pleasant nose, with nice spicy hints behind obvious sherry notes and a smell of tangerine juice. In the palate, still sherry hints, and a strange taste of crème brûlée, where some orange touches are subtly mixed with some slight wood hints. A very nice finish, lingering and spicy.
19/20
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Central Highlands

Central Highlands map

The County of Perth, between the Lowlands and the Higlands is famous for its hilly landscapes.
About one hundred distilleries were settled in the area during the 19th century, and just a few of them survived, and some others were build during the 20th century. The area is wider than just the Perth county, as Dalwinnie, in the South of Inverness county is also included in that area.

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Click on the map for a list of the distilleries of the area, on the title for further information
about the Central Highlands area, and if you want to make an "alphabetical journey" through the area, please
click on one of the pagode roofs, according to the direction you want to follow

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