Auchroisk Murray McDavid Craft Cask Batch 2 Bourbon Finish Single Speyside Malt Whisky 44,5%

Koval is a distillery in Chicago making whiskey from millet, oats and other grains most Scots would never touch. Their used casks have ended up in Speyside, and the result is not what you expect.

The Expert's Description

Auchroisk Murray McDavid Cask Craft Batch 2 is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky finished in a Koval quarter cask and bottled at 44.5%. It is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

A quarter cask holds around 125 litres, half a hogshead, and therefore has markedly more wood contact per litre. The finishing works quickly, and that is the whole idea behind the range: to give a young whisky a clear imprint in a short time.

Koval in Chicago distils from unconventional grains such as millet and oats, and their casks carry the mark of it. Auchroisk was built in 1974 for the J&B blend, and the distillery’s bright style takes well to that kind of cask.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sweetness and spice first. Vanilla and honey sit beneath a clear oak note, and there is a lightly nutty, cereal character from the American cask.

Palate

Soft and spiced. Vanilla and honey open, then cinnamon, a dry oak note and a light peppery edge arrive. At 44.5% there is good body, and the small cask shows clearly in the oak.

Finish

Medium and spiced. Oak, vanilla and a dry close with a little pepper.

Specifications

Name: Auchroisk Murray McDavid Cask Craft Batch 2 Koval Quarter Cask Single Speyside Malt Whisky 44.5%
Distillery: Auchroisk
Bottler: Murray McDavid
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 44.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished in a Koval quarter cask
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Cask Craft Batch 2
EAN no.: 5060353304144

Flavour Profile

Quarter Cask · Spiced · Vanilla · Oak · Honeyed · Nutty

Did You Know?

Murray McDavid was founded in 1995 by, among others, Mark Reynier, who later bought Bruichladdich and then built Waterford in Ireland. The house has always had finishing as its trademark, and the Cask Craft range is their accessible entry to the principle: young casks, short finishes and cask types you do not see elsewhere.

See our full range of Auchroisk

Listen to our podcast:

Frequently Asked Questions about Auchroisk Murray McDavid Cask Craft Batch 2 Koval Quarter Cask Single Speyside Malt Whisky 44.5%

What is a quarter cask?

A cask of around 125 litres, roughly a quarter of a sherry butt. The smaller volume gives more wood contact per litre, and maturation therefore runs faster than in an ordinary cask.

Who are Koval?

A distillery in Chicago, founded in 2008, making whiskey from unconventional grains such as millet, oats and rye. Their used casks are sought after precisely because they give a different character from classic bourbon wood.

What is the Cask Craft range?

Murray McDavid’s range of younger whisky with a short finish in unusual casks. The range is conceived as an approachable way to taste what different cask types do to a malt.

Why is there no age statement?

Because the whisky carries no age statement. The range puts the weight on the cask rather than the years, and Murray McDavid therefore states cask type and batch instead of an age.

What characterises Auchroisk?

A bright, citrus-driven Speyside style from a distillery built in 1974 for the J&B blend. That lightness makes it well suited to a small, active cask. See our full range of Speyside Whisky.

Is it a good place to start?

Yes. There is no smoke and no heavy sherry, and at 44.5% it is easy to drink neat. At the same time it shows clearly what a small active cask does to a whisky.