Scotland's oldest independent bottler digs a forgotten name out of the cellar and dusts it off. Seven Stars isn't a bottle that shouts. It whispers about old warehouses in Campbeltown, about hand-picked casks, and about a time when a blend had to prove its worth through flavour, not marketing.
Expert review of Cadenhead's Seven Stars Blended Scotch Whisky 70CL 46%
Seven Stars is a revival of a historic Cadenhead's label, originally bottled many decades ago to prove that exceptional whisky could be created by blending carefully selected casks from the company's own warehouses. Wm Cadenhead was founded in 1842 and is Scotland's oldest independent bottler, today run by J & A Mitchell, the people behind Springbank and Glengyle. That heritage sits behind this bottle.
Inside is a blend of malt and grain whisky from distilleries all across Scotland. The ratio is said to be around 60 percent grain and 40 percent malt, making it a more grain-led blend than the malt-forward examples, with Benrinnes named as one of the components. After marrying, the whisky is finished in Oloroso sherry casks, and this is where the character really gains depth, body and a dark, almost Coca-Cola-like colour.
It's all bottled at 46 percent, non-chill filtered, with no added colouring. The result is a natural, full-bodied whisky where the sherry cask gets to speak freely. A blend put together for people who normally reach for single malt.
Tasting notes
Nose
Strawberries and cream meet apple pie and butter biscuits. Underneath sit raisins, cinnamon and a round, sweet sherry tone with a hint of cherry cola and a touch of damp dunnage.
Palate
Dried fruit bathed in old-style sherry. Tangerine skin, muscovado sugar and ginger snaps bring spiced sweetness, while the grain lays a soft vanilla underneath it all.
Finish
Raisins and cold cocoa, a slightly hoppy bitterness and a fresh, zesty lift at the end. Medium-length and rounded.
Specifications
Name: Cadenhead's Seven Stars Blended Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Wm Cadenhead (independent bottler)
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 700 ML
Cask type: Oloroso sherry finish
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature in a tulip-shaped glass, optionally with a few drops of water
Flavour profile
Sherried · Fruity · Spicy · Smooth · Creamy
Did you know?
The Seven Stars name goes back to one of Cadenhead's old blend labels, and the retro gold-foil label is a deliberate nod to a 1970s vibe. There are even age-stated versions, including a 30-year-old cask-strength release.
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