Hello Jim, sounds like an excellent whisky, thanks for reviewing it. I'm no expert but one of your comments struck me. You said this whisky was finished in Palo Cortado hogsheads. My understanding is that the sherry bodegas producing drinking sherries via the solera system *only* use butts, no other sizes. Palo Cortados, as you explained, start out as Finos but for whatever reason there's a change that causes the flor yeast layer to fail to keep out the oxygen and so there's a switch from biological (as opposed to "natural") to oxidative maturation, and any barrels so affected get the "cut stick" chalk-mark befitting the name Palo Cortado. The fact this whisky was finished not in butts but instead hogsheads I think makes it almost certain to have been created from seasoned casks. That is, the casks were created by one of the bodegas who specialise in producing casks for the whisky industry. Sherry (wine) bodgeas almost never want to sell genuine solera casks to whisky producers, as they're far too precious for making sherry wines. Both transport casks of old and now seasoned casks are/were made to order specifically for the whisky industry, and are really quite separate from the sherry wine producing industry. If a bodega has a good solera butt they'll want to keep it for decades. Solera butts are never entirely emptied unless they've become unsound, in which case they'd be no more use to the whisky industry than to the sherry wine industry. Solera butts are always neutral containers with no new wood character. As such they're always made from American oak--why use more expensive European oak if there's no new wood flavours to come/wanted from the barrel. No sherry wines ever exhibit any new oak flavours. Not all, but most whisky distilleries want casks with at least some level of oak flavours. Yes, there are 4th and 5th refill casks, but those are already within the whisky industry and thus also termed "distillery wood". None of the casks shipped from Spain are such old wood. Casks from Spain are one of the entry points for *relatively* new wood, whether made from European or American oak. Not virgin oak but sherry-seasoned and then first-fill. As to Palo Cortado sherry wines, they can be fabulous. Typically bone dry similar to a Fino, although some bodegas may choose to add a little PX to lightly sweeten the wine--and such will/should be labelled dulce as opposed to seco. Even bone-dry PC has a magical richness, though, that takes it beyond any Fino or Manzanilla, and which makes it an ideal accompaniment to foods like roast ham. Many sherries potentially across all styles (Manzanilla, Fino, Palo Cortado, Amontillado, Oloroso, Moscatel, and Pedro Ximinez, although the last two the least often) have at least a little bit of rancio character which adds a sort of umami savouriness and hints of vinegar. When first encountered it may seem like the wine has somehow started to go "off". Not exactly rancid, but. PC also includes a delicate nuttiness, similar to Amontillado, due to the switch to oxidative maturation. I understand sherry is not for you, that's fine, but thank you for trying it once again alongside this whisky. The last thing I'll add is that it may have been advisable to taste the sherry before the whisky given the dryness of the sherry and the apparent richness of the whisky.
I had a somewhat similar experience with the bottle (375 cl) of Palo Cortado (not the whisky... the actual sherry), I had a couple of months back: Acidity, juicy and sour notes, but altogether kept in check by a nice sweetness. But unlike you, I like a good sherry. Not just a Palo Cortado, but also Oloroso, Amontillado and PX too depending on mood and occasion. The only 2 that I'm not totally fond of are the Fino and Manzanilla. I can drink them, but no more than that. For whisky maturation my favorite casks would be the Oloroso, Palo Cortado and Amontillado. Until now, it actually has been in that order of preference (in general - again depending on mood but of course also the quality of the casks and how active casks), but as of lately I've been changing more to a split decision between the Palo Cortado and Amontillado with the Christmas-cake'y Oloroso third. Who knows... maybe I'll change back again for Christmas? 🎅🎄😉 Cheers Jim, thanks for reviewing 🥃
I tried this for the first time about a year ago and enjoyed it but their PX 12 year was much better, in my opinion. I wasn't blown away by the Springbank PC when I had it...
I must admit I'm a big fan of the Dunvilles Palo Cortado releases. I dont have the 10 but I do own a bottle of their 21. It's a cracker. I've tasted the 22 year old FAH exclusive bottle you have in the shop too, straight from the cask. They are all great and in my opinion they can hold their own against Scottish sherry matured malts. Didnt think you'd gel with the Palo Cortado itself. I didnt either
Really enjoyed this whisky Jim, I'm on my third bottle now. The PX is good but always runs about £10 more expensive. I enjoyed the Glenmorangie Lasanta and the Quinta Ruban so I look forward to trying the Palo Cortado, cheers for the heads up.
Thanks for reviewing Jim. Not much into Irish whiskey myself (and happy to leave sherried whiskies for others to enjoy), but interesting to hear your thoughts nonethless. Slàinte mhath
@@peathead4450 no Irish, no wine/sherry/port/etc. finishes...check. You're getting harder to please in your old age Frank 😫😄😄 Doesn't mean I love you any less my whisky brother 😉 Slàinte my friend.
@@WhiskeyNovice Keep in mind there is so much whisky (in about every style possible) to choose from, that I can allow myself to be somewhat selective in what to enjoy most (and what not so much). And I consider myself lucky that a lot of whisk(e)y enthusiasts seem to love 'grape polluted' stuff. And the love goes both ways 🙂
An apricot note is appealing and the mix of that and leather sounds unique. This is definitely an interesting one, but is it interesting enough to motivate a buy? I like your enthusiasm about the palate and the Bushmills note. Alas, I don't think the palo cortado is available in the USA. I love that you compared the sherry sample. Thanks for another great review, Jim.
@@budj13 thank you Bud. It is genuinely a nice whiskey. Was very surprised how the Cooley spirit showed through and reminded me of Bushmills. It was, as I mentioned, an independant bottling of Cooley by Berry Bros & Rudd that threw me a couple of years back. Could have sworn it was Bushmills. It does bring some confusion 😄
Thanks Jim. Another one I’d very much like to try. -Fun when the glass of PC popped up, and your reaction to it. I become curious of which producer, and instantly feel motivated to subject you to a bombardment of top sherries to convert you, but I’m sure you’ve been around enough of them to be settled in your opinion.
@@murgh 🙏 thank you. I try and I try but, just cannot take to sherry. Sometimes I feel perseverance is the key but, I remember spending a couple of days over some fine, chilled finos one time and still walked away thinking "nah! That's not for me!" But at least I tried eh?! 😉
Haha I don’t like sherry either. The only variety I can stand is oloroso but I don’t bother when there is Port, Madeira or Moscatel. About sherry casks availability, there won’t be any shortage of it since bodegas are so whisky centered that they simply build the amount of casks the distilleries order. Whisky became the survival of almost every bodegas, since sherry consumption became so residual.
Thanks for the review! Looking g forward to opening this one 🙂
Hello Jim, sounds like an excellent whisky, thanks for reviewing it. I'm no expert but one of your comments struck me. You said this whisky was finished in Palo Cortado hogsheads.
My understanding is that the sherry bodegas producing drinking sherries via the solera system *only* use butts, no other sizes. Palo Cortados, as you explained, start out as Finos but for whatever reason there's a change that causes the flor yeast layer to fail to keep out the oxygen and so there's a switch from biological (as opposed to "natural") to oxidative maturation, and any barrels so affected get the "cut stick" chalk-mark befitting the name Palo Cortado.
The fact this whisky was finished not in butts but instead hogsheads I think makes it almost certain to have been created from seasoned casks. That is, the casks were created by one of the bodegas who specialise in producing casks for the whisky industry. Sherry (wine) bodgeas almost never want to sell genuine solera casks to whisky producers, as they're far too precious for making sherry wines. Both transport casks of old and now seasoned casks are/were made to order specifically for the whisky industry, and are really quite separate from the sherry wine producing industry. If a bodega has a good solera butt they'll want to keep it for decades. Solera butts are never entirely emptied unless they've become unsound, in which case they'd be no more use to the whisky industry than to the sherry wine industry. Solera butts are always neutral containers with no new wood character. As such they're always made from American oak--why use more expensive European oak if there's no new wood flavours to come/wanted from the barrel. No sherry wines ever exhibit any new oak flavours. Not all, but most whisky distilleries want casks with at least some level of oak flavours. Yes, there are 4th and 5th refill casks, but those are already within the whisky industry and thus also termed "distillery wood". None of the casks shipped from Spain are such old wood. Casks from Spain are one of the entry points for *relatively* new wood, whether made from European or American oak. Not virgin oak but sherry-seasoned and then first-fill.
As to Palo Cortado sherry wines, they can be fabulous. Typically bone dry similar to a Fino, although some bodegas may choose to add a little PX to lightly sweeten the wine--and such will/should be labelled dulce as opposed to seco. Even bone-dry PC has a magical richness, though, that takes it beyond any Fino or Manzanilla, and which makes it an ideal accompaniment to foods like roast ham. Many sherries potentially across all styles (Manzanilla, Fino, Palo Cortado, Amontillado, Oloroso, Moscatel, and Pedro Ximinez, although the last two the least often) have at least a little bit of rancio character which adds a sort of umami savouriness and hints of vinegar. When first encountered it may seem like the wine has somehow started to go "off". Not exactly rancid, but. PC also includes a delicate nuttiness, similar to Amontillado, due to the switch to oxidative maturation.
I understand sherry is not for you, that's fine, but thank you for trying it once again alongside this whisky. The last thing I'll add is that it may have been advisable to taste the sherry before the whisky given the dryness of the sherry and the apparent richness of the whisky.
I had a somewhat similar experience with the bottle (375 cl) of Palo Cortado (not the whisky... the actual sherry), I had a couple of months back: Acidity, juicy and sour notes, but altogether kept in check by a nice sweetness.
But unlike you, I like a good sherry. Not just a Palo Cortado, but also Oloroso, Amontillado and PX too depending on mood and occasion. The only 2 that I'm not totally fond of are the Fino and Manzanilla. I can drink them, but no more than that.
For whisky maturation my favorite casks would be the Oloroso, Palo Cortado and Amontillado. Until now, it actually has been in that order of preference (in general - again depending on mood but of course also the quality of the casks and how active casks), but as of lately I've been changing more to a split decision between the Palo Cortado and Amontillado with the Christmas-cake'y Oloroso third. Who knows... maybe I'll change back again for Christmas? 🎅🎄😉
Cheers Jim, thanks for reviewing 🥃
I tried this for the first time about a year ago and enjoyed it but their PX 12 year was much better, in my opinion. I wasn't blown away by the Springbank PC when I had it...
I do love apricot in a whisky, this one sounds very nice, cheers!
I must admit I'm a big fan of the Dunvilles Palo Cortado releases. I dont have the 10 but I do own a bottle of their 21. It's a cracker. I've tasted the 22 year old FAH exclusive bottle you have in the shop too, straight from the cask. They are all great and in my opinion they can hold their own against Scottish sherry matured malts. Didnt think you'd gel with the Palo Cortado itself. I didnt either
Im not a big fan of the sherry finishes myself but i must admit im tempted by this one 🤔🤔🥃👍
@@neillaverty9881 ok Frank! Sorry, Neil 😄😄
Cheers mate.
@@WhiskeyNovice 😂😂
Really enjoyed this whisky Jim, I'm on my third bottle now. The PX is good but always runs about £10 more expensive. I enjoyed the Glenmorangie Lasanta and the Quinta Ruban so I look forward to trying the Palo Cortado, cheers for the heads up.
Thanks for reviewing Jim.
Not much into Irish whiskey myself (and happy to leave sherried whiskies for others to enjoy), but interesting to hear your thoughts nonethless.
Slàinte mhath
@@peathead4450 no Irish, no wine/sherry/port/etc. finishes...check. You're getting harder to please in your old age Frank 😫😄😄
Doesn't mean I love you any less my whisky brother 😉
Slàinte my friend.
@@WhiskeyNovice Keep in mind there is so much whisky (in about every style possible) to choose from, that I can allow myself to be somewhat selective in what to enjoy most (and what not so much). And I consider myself lucky that a lot of whisk(e)y enthusiasts seem to love 'grape polluted' stuff.
And the love goes both ways 🙂
An apricot note is appealing and the mix of that and leather sounds unique. This is definitely an interesting one, but is it interesting enough to motivate a buy? I like your enthusiasm about the palate and the Bushmills note. Alas, I don't think the palo cortado is available in the USA. I love that you compared the sherry sample. Thanks for another great review, Jim.
@@budj13 thank you Bud. It is genuinely a nice whiskey. Was very surprised how the Cooley spirit showed through and reminded me of Bushmills. It was, as I mentioned, an independant bottling of Cooley by Berry Bros & Rudd that threw me a couple of years back. Could have sworn it was Bushmills. It does bring some confusion 😄
Thanks Jim. Another one I’d very much like to try.
-Fun when the glass of PC popped up, and your reaction to it. I become curious of which producer, and instantly feel motivated to subject you to a bombardment of top sherries to convert you, but I’m sure you’ve been around enough of them to be settled in your opinion.
@@murgh 🙏 thank you.
I try and I try but, just cannot take to sherry. Sometimes I feel perseverance is the key but, I remember spending a couple of days over some fine, chilled finos one time and still walked away thinking "nah! That's not for me!" But at least I tried eh?! 😉
If it's the sample I shared with you Jim, it's Sanchez Romate Regente. A gift from my sister who lives south of Valencia
It was buddy cheers @@craigblair6222
Haha I don’t like sherry either. The only variety I can stand is oloroso but I don’t bother when there is Port, Madeira or Moscatel. About sherry casks availability, there won’t be any shortage of it since bodegas are so whisky centered that they simply build the amount of casks the distilleries order. Whisky became the survival of almost every bodegas, since sherry consumption became so residual.