Auchroisk 2009/2021 Blackadder Raw Cask 11 years Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 56,3%

If you see small dark flakes at the bottom of the bottle, they are there on purpose. Blackadder does not filter Raw Cask at all, not even for the wood residue from the cask.

The Expert's Description

Auchroisk 2009/2021 Blackadder Raw Cask 11 Years Old is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky from a single cask, bottled at cask strength, 56.3%. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured, and it has not been filtered for cask residue either.

Raw Cask is Blackadder’s most uncompromising range. The whisky goes straight from the cask into the bottle, and the char and wood residue that come with it stay put. That gives extra depth of flavour and a visible sediment in the bottle.

Auchroisk was built in 1974 to supply malt for the J&B blend. The bright, citrus-driven style is allowed to stand at full strength here, where the concentration brings out both fruit and oak.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Powerful and concentrated. Vanilla, apple and a clear oak note first, then honey, citrus and a dry, lightly resinous note from the cask residue.

Palate

Full and intense. Vanilla and honey open, then spiced oak, citrus and black pepper arrive. At 56.3% there is real strength, and the whisky changes markedly with a few drops of water.

Finish

Long and dry. Oak, spice and a lightly bitter wood note that holds on for a long time.

Specifications

Name: Auchroisk 2009/2021 Blackadder Raw Cask 11 Years Old Single Speyside Malt Whisky 56.3%
Distillery: Auchroisk
Bottler: Blackadder
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 56.3%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Single cask
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2009
Bottled: 2021
Edition: Blackadder Raw Cask
EAN no.: 5055030611172

Flavour Profile

Cask Strength · Unfiltered · Vanilla · Oak · Spiced · Powerful

Did You Know?

Blackadder was founded in 1995 by Robin Tucek and John Lamond, who had written The Malt Whisky File together. The Raw Cask range grew out of a simple conviction: that anything you filter out is also flavour you remove. The residue from the cask therefore stays in the bottle.

See our full range of Auchroisk

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Frequently Asked Questions about Auchroisk 2009/2021 Blackadder Raw Cask 11 Years Old Single Speyside Malt Whisky 56.3%

What are the dark flakes in the bottle?

Char and wood residue from the cask. Blackadder does not filter Raw Cask at all, so everything that came out of the cask comes along into the bottle. It is harmless and deliberate.

Should I shake the bottle?

No. Let the residue settle and pour calmly. Some feel the whisky is better with a little of the sediment included, but that is a matter of taste.

What does cask strength mean?

That the whisky is bottled at the alcohol percentage it held in the cask, without dilution. Here 56.3%. It gives more concentration, and you decide how much water to add yourself.

Is it worth the money?

A single cask at cask strength with no filtration of any kind is rare. Whether it suits you depends on whether you are after the raw, concentrated style rather than a polished whisky, as this is a deliberately uncompromising approach.

What characterises Auchroisk?

A bright, citrus-driven Speyside style from a distillery built in 1974 for the J&B blend. At full strength that fruit and oak become more concentrated. See our full range of Speyside Whisky.

Does it need water?

Try it neat first, then add a few drops at a time. At 56.3% it opens noticeably with water, and the fruit steps forward more clearly.