Cheers Sir, I'm in the UK & this was very useful as I'm on the fence. Other bottles will fill the void. Thank you for your honest review on this bottle.
Hi Buddy, I'll let you know about the cask we're talking about and a we bit of sherry history. Canasta is the name of an expression of 'cream' sherry by the prestigious Williams & Humbert Bodega. It's an inexpensive sherry but the kind of sherry beloved by the British palate and the backbone of the sherry industry. You can see from the name 'Williams & Humbert' how important sherry is with the British and also how important the British are to the sherry industry. It's less popular now but not long ago the British guzzled 'cream' sherry and that money fuelled the sherry industry. It's known as 'Cream' after the well known Harvey's Bristol Cream which was so called because the blend was so enjoyable and popular it was referred to as the 'cream'. Pure Amontillado and Oloroso was a bit too dry and so a mixture of Pedro Ximenez is added to sweeten it. Once past a certain percentage of PX it becomes a 'Cream'. Sales of Amontillado and Oloroso (and Palo Cortado) are far smaller than Cream. These sherries are consumed overseas more than Spain. Only Fino and Manzanilla are truly Spanish drinks and that's in Andalusia only (and a bit of Madrid). Ageing in a named brand cask is somewhat confusing. Canasta , like other sherries, will ultimately undergo ageing in the solera system and those casks are a permanent feature of a bodega and never sold. So this whisky was probably aged in what is known as a criadera cask before being disgorged into the solera system. It might theoretically, therefore, be a Oloroso cask or Pedro Ximenez cask before they were blended together for the finished product. The truth of sherry casks in the whisky industry is a closed book in the sherry world even more than the whisky world. This might explain why you don't generally see 'Cream' casks even though it's by far the most popular sherry on the market. Virtually all sherry casks prepared for the whisky industry have not contained any sherry that was bottled and put on sale as sherry. It's just wood prepared for whisky. So, as you can tell, I'm a sherry lover and nerd just as much as my whisky passion and I have visited many sherry bodegas. I remember your great interview with our aristocratic mate so you might recall my interest. I'll tell you something though: Top end sherry is amazing stuff. Even regular stuff is brilliant and great value. WT
Please find your way to Bunnahabhain & join me in a Warehouse 9 Tasting. I love your Sherry knowledge & would love to discuss all things Jerez on the premises. I love hearing other people’s opinions on our drams & I respect what any reviewer might say, because tbh, there is no right or wrong with drams! See you on Islay! 😁👍🥃🍷
@@davieislay Wow, Dave that's so kind of you to reach out. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than meeting you in Warehouse 9 to talk about sherry and whisky. I spend so much time blabbing about whisky it's unforgivable that I've yet to visit Islay. My wife is Spanish and we have a little getaway home in Andalusia which is how we're able to visit the bodegas from time to time. Jerez is a great visit as are the other two points in the sherry triangle (Sanlucar de Barramedar and El Puerto de Santa Maria). They all reside in the Cadiz region and the namesake capital is a fantastic visit too. A lot of interesting Spanish history down there as well. The region of Cordoba also has fantastic bodegas but are not allowed, for the time being, to call their equally impressive wine, 'sherry', even though they make fino, amontillado, oloroso, etc. The major town involved is called Montilla and it's where we get the word 'Amontillado' from. Because of the hot interior climate it makes it perfect for the production of the Pedro Ximenez grape and that's where that wine comes from. The bodegas in Jerez get it from them to mix some sweetness for Cream. The history of sherry is fascinating and the British play an important role in the process. Shakespeare's 'Sack', beloved by Falstaff, was stuff bought back to England after an audacious raid on Cadiz by Sir Francis Drake. A national hero over here but a despicable pirate to the Spanish. I really appreciate what you say about respecting each others views. We live in an age where a minor disagreement polarises us into two intolerant camps. I sometimes have a little whinge about whisky but it's because it's something I'm passionate about. We're the harshest critics with that that is closest to us. However, you'll be pleased to hear that Bunnahabhain 12 has been my whisky of the year on several occasions and I'm very fond of the distillery. Please forgive me for any minor grumbles in the scheme of things. WT
Eight drams down and judgement compromised. 🤣That's known to happen. Sulphured whisky stinks and the distilleries know it but bottle it anyway. They've spent so much on the junk cask they're not going to pour it down the drain as they should. These Feis bottlings are freaking expensive and that makes the insult even worse. They could try and iron it out with their core range but that might mess up the consistency. They must have known it was tainted and flogged it anyway. I recently had a go at Springbank for doing the same thing. Excellent review. WT
My personal experience is that the Bunna limited editions often have an evolution as they mature a bit after opening. I’ve seen other reviewers mention that sulphur notes can dissipate after a month or two. I got the other two Feis Ile offerings this year so can’t comment on my own bottle. Weren’t you tempted by the 17 year Moine Triple Wood rum raisin profile?
I tend to agree with you on the Bunna evolving over time. I will go back to it in a bit. I was tempted by the 17 Moine - but I ended up getting a sample instead of the full bottle. Review coming soon.
Fabulous review! I am completely in agreement. Any hint of sulphur ruins what I sometimes hope will be a beautiful whisky. Talk about a big disappointment. Terrific video!! Cheers! 🙂
Malt activist I wonder do you enjoy eating eggs? I’m not sure if I am sensitive to sulphur, I don’t believe that I am, one of my favourite things is runny eggs on toast with salt and honey yummy
Cheers Sir, I'm in the UK & this was very useful as I'm on the fence. Other bottles will fill the void. Thank you for your honest review on this bottle.
Glad to be of service James
Love the Chanel ..always 👍
And
Appreciate the honesty
Cheers 👍🥃
Thank you Allan! Means a lot
Nice honest review as always..
I try....
Great review! Keep it up💪🏻😊
Thank you Morten!
Hi Buddy, I'll let you know about the cask we're talking about and a we bit of sherry history. Canasta is the name of an expression of 'cream' sherry by the prestigious Williams & Humbert Bodega. It's an inexpensive sherry but the kind of sherry beloved by the British palate and the backbone of the sherry industry. You can see from the name 'Williams & Humbert' how important sherry is with the British and also how important the British are to the sherry industry. It's less popular now but not long ago the British guzzled 'cream' sherry and that money fuelled the sherry industry.
It's known as 'Cream' after the well known Harvey's Bristol Cream which was so called because the blend was so enjoyable and popular it was referred to as the 'cream'. Pure Amontillado and Oloroso was a bit too dry and so a mixture of Pedro Ximenez is added to sweeten it. Once past a certain percentage of PX it becomes a 'Cream'. Sales of Amontillado and Oloroso (and Palo Cortado) are far smaller than Cream. These sherries are consumed overseas more than Spain. Only Fino and Manzanilla are truly Spanish drinks and that's in Andalusia only (and a bit of Madrid).
Ageing in a named brand cask is somewhat confusing. Canasta , like other sherries, will ultimately undergo ageing in the solera system and those casks are a permanent feature of a bodega and never sold. So this whisky was probably aged in what is known as a criadera cask before being disgorged into the solera system. It might theoretically, therefore, be a Oloroso cask or Pedro Ximenez cask before they were blended together for the finished product. The truth of sherry casks in the whisky industry is a closed book in the sherry world even more than the whisky world. This might explain why you don't generally see 'Cream' casks even though it's by far the most popular sherry on the market. Virtually all sherry casks prepared for the whisky industry have not contained any sherry that was bottled and put on sale as sherry. It's just wood prepared for whisky.
So, as you can tell, I'm a sherry lover and nerd just as much as my whisky passion and I have visited many sherry bodegas. I remember your great interview with our aristocratic mate so you might recall my interest. I'll tell you something though: Top end sherry is amazing stuff. Even regular stuff is brilliant and great value. WT
I'm going to try and get my hands on some good sherries and do a flight --- I'm super interested!
Please find your way to Bunnahabhain & join me in a Warehouse 9 Tasting. I love your Sherry knowledge & would love to discuss all things Jerez on the premises. I love hearing other people’s opinions on our drams & I respect what any reviewer might say, because tbh, there is no right or wrong with drams!
See you on Islay! 😁👍🥃🍷
@@davieislay Wow, Dave that's so kind of you to reach out. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than meeting you in Warehouse 9 to talk about sherry and whisky. I spend so much time blabbing about whisky it's unforgivable that I've yet to visit Islay. My wife is Spanish and we have a little getaway home in Andalusia which is how we're able to visit the bodegas from time to time. Jerez is a great visit as are the other two points in the sherry triangle (Sanlucar de Barramedar and El Puerto de Santa Maria). They all reside in the Cadiz region and the namesake capital is a fantastic visit too. A lot of interesting Spanish history down there as well.
The region of Cordoba also has fantastic bodegas but are not allowed, for the time being, to call their equally impressive wine, 'sherry', even though they make fino, amontillado, oloroso, etc. The major town involved is called Montilla and it's where we get the word 'Amontillado' from. Because of the hot interior climate it makes it perfect for the production of the Pedro Ximenez grape and that's where that wine comes from. The bodegas in Jerez get it from them to mix some sweetness for Cream. The history of sherry is fascinating and the British play an important role in the process. Shakespeare's 'Sack', beloved by Falstaff, was stuff bought back to England after an audacious raid on Cadiz by Sir Francis Drake. A national hero over here but a despicable pirate to the Spanish.
I really appreciate what you say about respecting each others views. We live in an age where a minor disagreement polarises us into two intolerant camps. I sometimes have a little whinge about whisky but it's because it's something I'm passionate about. We're the harshest critics with that that is closest to us. However, you'll be pleased to hear that Bunnahabhain 12 has been my whisky of the year on several occasions and I'm very fond of the distillery. Please forgive me for any minor grumbles in the scheme of things. WT
I just taste this barrel, well, it is sweety with honeyv and dried fruit flavour. Good, but maybe a little lighter if you are familiar with 12 yr.
I wish those flavors had come in nicely into the whisky
What a rollercoaster of a review 😄 So is the Canasta effect much sweeter than PX?
Definitely slightly sweeter but that one little tainted cask in there....
Nice Review but would be nice to see the bottle, tube and glass all the time while you are reviewing it. Thanks.
My current setup doesn't allow for that. Maybe one day when I change it.
He called me awesome 🥺❤️
That's because you are my friend!
Eight drams down and judgement compromised. 🤣That's known to happen. Sulphured whisky stinks and the distilleries know it but bottle it anyway. They've spent so much on the junk cask they're not going to pour it down the drain as they should. These Feis bottlings are freaking expensive and that makes the insult even worse. They could try and iron it out with their core range but that might mess up the consistency. They must have known it was tainted and flogged it anyway. I recently had a go at Springbank for doing the same thing. Excellent review. WT
I have no clue tbh
My personal experience is that the Bunna limited editions often have an evolution as they mature a bit after opening. I’ve seen other reviewers mention that sulphur notes can dissipate after a month or two. I got the other two Feis Ile offerings this year so can’t comment on my own bottle. Weren’t you tempted by the 17 year Moine Triple Wood rum raisin profile?
I tend to agree with you on the Bunna evolving over time. I will go back to it in a bit. I was tempted by the 17 Moine - but I ended up getting a sample instead of the full bottle. Review coming soon.
Fabulous review! I am completely in agreement. Any hint of sulphur ruins what I sometimes hope will be a beautiful whisky. Talk about a big disappointment. Terrific video!! Cheers! 🙂
Thank you Christine! Appreciate you stopping by.
Malt activist I wonder do you enjoy eating eggs?
I’m not sure if I am sensitive to sulphur, I don’t believe that I am, one of my favourite things is runny eggs on toast with salt and honey yummy
Actually not a big fan of eggs
Sulphurous notes like the Craigellachie or something worse?
Yeah, got it. What could be the reason behind this?
Could be a bad cask. Could be me being over sensitive and entitled. Who knows!
Your videos are great, tour sound could improve…. Get a lavalier mic, Man!
Noted!
I thought Canasta was a card game!
haha is it?
@@MaltActivist Yes sir!
@@DileepB Well, we certainly gambled on this one then....