The Kingdoms Finest 2020/2026 - 5 y.o. - Oloroso Sherry Casks - Murray McDavid

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 56.1% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

A distinctive sherry finish shapes The Kingdom’s Finest: this StrathEnry Single Malt from InchDairnie Distillery spent a further year in Oloroso sherry casks from Ximénez-Spínola. The grape variety used for the sherry previously held in these casks is unusual: Pedro Ximénez rather than the Palomino normally used for Oloroso.

Distilled in 2020, this whisky forms part of the autumn 2026 release in the Mystery Malt range. It matured for a total of five years in American oak and comes from casks 2500781, 2500782 and 2500783. The release comprises 904 bottles. It was bottled at 56.1%, without chill filtration or added colouring. The 0.7-litre bottle comes in gift packaging.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, fudge and milk chocolate mingle with almond notes.
• Palate: The whisky feels creamy on the palate, with flavours recalling caramel apple and dried mango.
• Finish: Dried fruit, spice notes and the sweetness of barley sugar sweets linger on the finish.

Distillery/Bottler:

InchDairnie is located in Fife in the Scottish Lowlands. Construction of the distillery began in 2014, and spirit first flowed from its stills in December 2015. That first spirit was already StrathEnry, the Single Malt made for exchange with other distilleries and blending companies. Its equipment includes a hammer mill, which grinds grain very finely, and a mash filter. This combination also allows the distillery to process grains that would be difficult to handle in a conventional mash tun.

Murray McDavid was founded in 1994 by wine merchants Mark Reynier and Simon Coughlin together with Gordon Wright of Springbank. The independent bottler focuses particularly on further maturing whisky in casks that previously held wine or spirits. To this end, the team works with wine estates, bodegas and American whiskey producers to source freshly emptied casks. In the traditional warehouses at Coleburn in Speyside, it monitors the whiskies’ development and tailors the additional maturation to the character of each spirit.

Facts: