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A litre of Buchanan’s hard to find (in the UK at least) blend. ‘Stunningly soft texture, enormously fruity with some firm grain through the middle and then spice. 85/100’ Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2005
Ladle of Contents
Buchanan Whisky Review:
Drink: 12 Year Old
Price: Brandy Nose: Hardly anything here. Quite thin. A bit of prune. The perfume is prune, prune, prune. Mouth: Fabulous! Lovely hint of light tobacco. Subtly fruity softness. Full to oily fullness. Very appealing. Cinnamon. And then the prune, prune, prune. Finish: Long finishing. Milk chocolate. Tannins still here. Tobacco. Spices too. A nice lingering mix of flavours.
I got a double sampling of Buchanan’s Deluxe 12 year old a couple of years back when I was in Glasgow. I tried it at the Buchanan shop in Sauchiehall Street and I found it quite ordinary. There was nothing to get excited about. But after a couple of years this tasted extraordinary. A litre bottle is rather hard to find in the UK, but when it is, you will not regret it. The Bourbon casks used are matured for 12 years in sherry casks. The result is a soft easy drinker with high quality taste. In my eyes, this is a splendidly drinkable whisky. I really wish I could find it more easily, but I feel lucky that I can drink it now that I have tasted it.
Buchanan Whisky Review 1:
Drink: 12 Year Old
Price: Brandy
Nose: Tsk, too much nose here. Too much alcohol perhaps. Some moisture. Saying that, it is a really nice structure for a nose. Lots of soft spices. Earthy. Some dark chocolate. Malt. Chocolate again. Some fruit. Tobacco again. Hint of baking spice. And then the prune, prune, prune. Mouth: Soft molasses. Lots of soft spices. Tobacco again. Pepper. Chocolate. Mint. A bit of oak. And then the prune, prune, prune. Finish: Finish is not very long. Mineral. Too much of the same. A tad of bitterness. Rollie it in a bit of sugar and then you might enjoy this finish.
Price: Brandy
Nose: A little far out for me. All the fruitiness I like in the nose is diluted by the prune and prune, prune, prune. About half way through I get a hint of tobacco and vanilla. Mouth: Here we go. Fantastic. I love this stuff. Soft, silky, oily with a minimum of tannins. Lots of fruit and spice and chocolate. A little chocolate cake. Full to oily. Fruity. Dulce de leche. Vanilla. A delicious sherry. Finish: Long. Oakiness again. Prunes. Tobacco. A bit of tobacco and caramel at the end.
I have been trying to track down this precious blend for many years. It is a blend of -i believe- five casks of sherry and five casks of bourbon cask. Yes, it is claimed that there are
100% sherry and 100% bourbon casks. But what I can only guess is that the casks are not all used for the Blend. I plan to buy a magnum or two of this to find out if it is just a twist of imagination or a fabrication.
I have a bottle of Buchanan’s Deluxe 12 Year Old and here I have some tasting notes.
Buchanan Whisky Review 2:
A glassful of Mr. Whisky tasting notes
The aroma is very minimal. There is some rather adobe cocoa(yet again?) and the ruby coloured smoke from Africa. Hmmmm I say to myself. A bit of the 25yo Ardbeg and I see a little thing which looks like the curve of the bow of a violin. Unlike a violin bow it is a rather broad curve. This curve I think might be the curve of the turn of a fruity-smoky cask. In the mouth it is a nice mouthfeel. It is really quite oily rich indeed. Nice mouthfeel. Really quite nice. On the palate it is really excellent. Chocolate-fruit swirls and tata’s. I think I prefer the 25yo as the sherried cask finishes just a little more dry. The aftertaste is very rich. Virgina cedar and cocoa. One of these days I will try that whisky I like from Africa and a bit of the chocolate-fruit in the mouth.
This was a most enjoyable dram. A well balanced sherried whisky. Very good. A touch of smoke and fruity hints. A thin rich texture. I enjoyed it very much and did so many years ago. That bottle has now become a part of my private collection and I shall with great pleasure drink it again.
I have been a fan of sherried whiskies for many years and when my friend said I might enjoy this whisky I was determined to try it on a whim. I was not disappointed. The taste is full and rich and lingers in the mouth for some time. The aroma smells of sherry to me. No, it is not a blended whisky as it would be madness to keep all the casks apart for ten years! It is a blend of sherry and bourbon. I think I detect some sherry, malty taste, some smoke, and especially some cherries (and maybe other fruits). The finish lingers for just a while. Would I buy it again? Yes, particularly on special before a meal in the evening. I say, mix it and make a drinkable sherry and I think you’ll be please with this fine sherried whisky.
These are reviews for the best selling 12 year old bottling of Buchanan’s Deluxe. However, the website for Buchanan’s states that: “Buchanan’s Deluxe 12 Year Old is distilled and matured for twelve years in a combination of five sherry casks and five bourbon casks, then finished in virgin sherry for a minimum of one year before bottling”. Does this apply to both the 12 year old and all other bottlings. I have the 500ml bottle: when was this made?
