Annandale Man O Words Cask 397 Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 60.4%

Fino is the sherry nobody uses for whisky. It is pale, bone dry and matured under a living film of yeast. Putting a young, fruity Lowland malt into a cask like that is either reckless or precise. Here it is the latter.

The Expert's Description

Annandale Man O' Words Cask 397 is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in an ex-Fino Sherry Butt and bottled at 60.4% cask strength. The cask was filled in 2018 and emptied in 2023, giving around five years.

Man O' Words is the distillery's unpeated range, named after Robert Burns. Fino is the driest and palest of the sherry styles, so an ex-Fino cask delivers something entirely different from the classic Oloroso: no raisins and dark fruit, but salted almonds, green apple acidity and a dry, almost bakery-like nuttiness.

That suits Annandale’s spirit unusually well, being fresh and fruit-driven already. Instead of laying a heavy coat of fruit over the top, the Fino cask tightens the whisky and gives it more edge. The whisky is non-chill filtered.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Green apple and pear first, then salted almonds and a dry yeasty note that is the Fino cask’s fingerprint. Citrus peel and something close to white bread sit at the back.

Palate

Dry and taut to begin, unusual for a whisky from a sherry cask. Apple acidity and almond open, then a mild spiced warmth and a light sweetness from the spirit itself. The 60.4% brings power, yet the whisky stays lean rather than full.

Finish

Medium length and dry. Nuts, green fruit and a saline mineral note that lingers. No sweetness at the close.

Specifications

Name: Annandale Man O' Words Cask 397 Single Malt Scotch Whisky 60.4%
Distillery: Annandale
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 5 years
ABV: 60.4%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-Fino Sherry Butt, cask no. 397
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Distilled: 2018
Bottled: 2023
Edition: Man O' Words
EAN no.: 5060427430793

Flavour Profile

Dry · Fruity · Nutty · Fresh · Cask Strength · Saline

Did You Know?

Fino matures under flor, a living veil of yeast that settles like a blanket over the wine in the cask and keeps it from meeting the air. That is why Fino stays pale and dry, where Oloroso, matured without flor, turns dark and nutty. That difference carries straight into the whisky.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Annandale Man O' Words Cask 397 Single Malt Scotch Whisky 60.4%

What is the difference between a Fino and an Oloroso sherry cask?

Fino is dry, pale and matured under a yeast veil, where Oloroso matures with air contact and turns dark and nutty. An ex-Fino cask therefore gives salted almonds, apple acidity and dryness rather than raisins, chocolate and sweetness.

Is it sweet, given it sat in a sherry cask?

No, and that is the point. Fino casks give almost no sweetness. The whisky is dry and taut, and what sweetness there is comes from the spirit rather than the wood. It surprises most people the first time.

Why do so few distilleries use Fino casks?

Because the effect is hard to predict and easily turns too dry. Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez give the dark sweet profile people associate with sherry matured whisky, so they are the safe choice. Fino demands a spirit that can carry it.

How old is it?

Around five years. The cask was filled in 2018 and emptied in 2023. There is no age statement on the bottle, but the distillation and bottling years are given so the arithmetic is easy to follow.

Who was Robert Burns?

Scotland's national poet, born in 1759, and in his final years an excise officer in the Dumfries area near Annan. The distillery named its unpeated range after him. See our full range of Lowland Whisky.

What does it go with?

The dry saline profile works well with shellfish, salted almonds or a dry cheese. It is one of the few whiskies where a glass beside a plate of tapas genuinely makes sense rather than being a claim.