Cadenhead Creations 1980 36 Year Old Rich Spicy Sherry is an interesting whisky from the folks at Cadenhead’s. At first I thought it was a blend of single malts like you might expect from one of the top independent single malt bottlers in the world, but it’s not. It’s actually a house made blend created using grain whiskies and single malt whiskies all distilled in 1980 and aged for 36 years.
In Cadenhead’s Words: Cadenhead Creations 1980 36 Year Old Rich Spicy Sherry
“LIMITED EDITION FROM THE CREATIONS RANGE THIS IS THE BIG SHERRY BOMB EDITION – You won’t want to miss this dram a real one off gem. Truly Amazing taste from the first sip to the last.”
I was given this sample of the Cadenhead Creations 1980 36 Year Old Rich Spicy Sherry by a friend on my recent 36th birthday which was truly a fantastic gesture. So a big thanks to Robert and on to the review!
Cadenhead Creations 1980 36 Year Old Rich Spicy Sherry Info
Region: Scotland
Distiller: Various
Blender: Cadenhead’s
Mashbill: Single Malt and Single Grain
Cask: ex-Sherry
Age: 36 Years
ABV: 44.5%
Batch: 2
Price: $161
Cadenhead Creations 1980 36 Year Old Rich Spicy Sherry Review
EYE
Ruddy honey
NOSE
Sherry, baking spice, dark fruit, honey, graham, toasted nuts, dried strawberry, citrus and a wee bit of sulfur and vanilla. A drop of water brings out a slight herbal character.
PALATE
Cherry, dried dark fruit, baking spice, honey, toffee, citrus and an overall buttery essence. Some light notes of anise, nuts, vanilla taffy and a malty orchard fruit come and go. Even though it doesn’t need it, if you add a bit of water a slight herbal character arrives.
FINISH
Long slow wind-down of sherry, dried dark fruit, graham, cocoa and spice.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Well balanced, round-full body and an oily slick feel.
OVERALL
Dense dark aroma? Check. Rich heavy palate? Check. Luxurious feel? Check. Crazy good price for a 36 year old whisky? Check. This Cadenhead Creations 1980 36 Year Old Rich Spicy Sherry delivers across every box; it’s a fun, rich, vintage-stated old blend.
Every part of this whisky, the grain whiskies and single malts, were all aged in sherry casks for 36 years and then the folks at Cadenheads blended them together to create this Creation and the depth of character is testament to the quality of the barrels they used. In short the Cadenhead Creations 1980 36 Year Old Rich Spicy Sherry, as you might have expected, is quite good.
SCORE: 93/100 (A)
