Auchroisk 2009/2022 Signatory Vintage 12 years old Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 43%

509 bottles from two hogsheads. The figure is printed on the label, and there is a reason for that. When you can count the bottles, you can also see that no more are coming.

The Expert's Description

Auchroisk 2009/2022 Signatory 12 Years Old is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured for twelve years in two hogsheads and bottled at 43%. The release gave 509 bottles and is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Cask numbers 804051 and 804052 are printed on the label along with the distillation and bottling dates. That is Signatory’s standard and one of the reasons the house has become a reference point for independent bottlings.

Auchroisk sits in Speyside and was built in 1974 by Justerini & Brooks to supply malt for the J&B blend. The style is bright, citrus-driven and lightly spiced, and twelve years in refill hogsheads lets that character stand clearly.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh and clean. Citrus and green apple first, then vanilla, honey and a lightly cereal note from the spirit.

Palate

Soft and fruity. Apple and pear open, then citrus, vanilla and a lightly peppered oak note arrive. At 43% the body is good, and the absence of chill filtration gives a fuller mouthfeel than the figure suggests.

Finish

Medium and clean. Citrus, vanilla and a dry, lightly spiced close.

Specifications

Name: Auchroisk 2009/2022 Signatory 12 Years Old Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 43%
Distillery: Auchroisk
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Two hogsheads, cask nos. 804051 and 804052
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2009
Bottled: 2022
Number of bottles: 509
Edition: Signatory The Un-Chillfiltered Collection
EAN no.: 5021944116140

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Citrus · Vanilla · Fresh · Honeyed · Lightly Spiced

Did You Know?

Signatory today bottles at Edradour in Pitlochry, which the Symington brothers bought in 2002. Edradour was for many years Scotland’s smallest distillery with only three employees, and even after expansion the site works as distillery, warehouse and bottling plant for all of Signatory’s production.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Auchroisk 2009/2022 Signatory 12 Years Old Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 43%

Why are the cask numbers on the label?

Because Signatory documents where the whisky comes from. With cask number, distillation date and bottling date, the release can be traced precisely, and the bottle count shows how little exists.

What does non-chill filtered mean?

That the whisky has not been chilled and filtered to remove fatty acids. Filtration also removes flavour and mouthfeel, so Signatory skips it. The whisky may turn slightly hazy with ice.

What is the difference between this and the 2008 release?

Both are twelve years old from two hogsheads at 43%, but they come from different casks and different years. Casks are never identical, so the profile differs. That is the whole point of single cask bottlings.

What characterises Auchroisk?

A bright, citrus-driven and lightly spiced Speyside style. The distillery was built in 1974 to supply malt for the J&B blend, and official bottlings are rare. See our full range of Speyside Whisky.

Is it good for beginners?

Yes. At 43% it is easy to approach, and there is neither smoke nor heavy sherry. At the same time the lack of filtration gives a body that many standard bottlings lack.

How should it be served?

Neat in a tulip-shaped glass. At 43% it does not need water, but a few drops can open the fruit if you want the citrus note to step further forward.