Auchentoshan Blood Oak

Lowland distillery, Auchentoshan, produces some very quality offerings. Their floral and creamy characteristics also take on flavors from finishing casks easily and quite well. Blood Oak is a travel retail exclusive from back in 2015 and can still be found on numerous shelves and websites around the globe. It’s an NAS blend that was finished for around a year in Bordeaux red wine casks and ex-bourbon barrels. Rumor has it that the whisky is around 6-7 years old, in total. It’s non-chill filtered, has no added color, and like all Auchentoshan it’s triple distilled. Bottled at 46% and runs just shy of $70. It’s a beautiful, dark copper in the glass. Oily and fat legs run down the sides of the Glencairn after a healthy spin, leaving behind loads of tiny, beaded water near the rim. The nose is predominantly dry red wine and oak spirals. Cherries and juicy citrus mingle with Auchentoshan’s typical floral notes. A quick, hard sting of youthful spirit will get you if you go in too hard or too early. Let this one sit and breathe a bit. The palate is floral and enticing from the beginning: raspberries, honeysuckle and orange slices greet your tongue at first sip, with creamy vanilla and oak cask dominating the back end. The youthful spirit also comes charging in and combines with the red wine dryness to sort of shock the tastebuds. It’s not as subtle and smooth as the 25yo red wine offering from a few years ago, but it’s also 1/3 the price of that bottle. The finish is still long and fruity, kinda hot and peppery unless you cool it down with water. Lingering spice and a drying feel bring it to a close, but there’s a light berry flavor clinging on even after sipping some water to cleanse the palate. Like I said, it’s not the 1989 Red Wine Cask 25yo I had last year, but I still adore the wine barrel influence here and would gladly buy another bottle of this one for the price. You can get a much older Auchentoshan for $20-30 more, but this distillery shines with some sort of finishing cask. I’d trade those decades old bottles for more wine finishes. 4.25 stars. If you see a bottle of this or a cheap pour I recommend giving it a try- it’s complex and delicious. Cheers.

After having to spectacular Auchentoshans ( the 21 yr single Sherry cask, and the 26 yr wine finished), I was really looking forward to this one, a really generous pour sent by @LeeEvolved. I think if I didn’t have those two in mind, I would’ve like this one more. Either way—-it’s a damn good Auchentoshan, just not at the level of the other two. This has notes of tart berries, some shortbread, and plenty of cereal notes. Way better than their standard offering, but if you can find their 26 yr wine matured or the relatively affordable 21 yr Sherry cask, go for those . Thanks @LeeEvolved for the pour!!

On the nose: Sweet baking spices, golden raisins & maybe apricot or blood oranges. Just a small amount of peat, enough to notice it's a scotch. It almost smells like a good bourbon. Palate: Sweet, woodsy, nutty - maybe walnuts & honey. Dry on the mouth, makes me want a sip of water. Could be a stronger proof, but not too much. Finish: A few minutes of not drinking, I am left with chocolate cigar taste/notes in the mouth. This is good, but would still rate this about 88/100.

Nose- fruity and slightly like wine. Taste- very fruity to start. This is where the red whine cask is present. Then finishes with traditional Auchentoshan flavors of oak and fruit. Finishes with sweetness and slight citrus. Aftertaste- lingering flavors of red wine and fruit. Overall- a great sipping whiskey that is very different than tradition. Something different that does not disappoint.

It's quite complex, and pleasant. There's orange liqueur, a sweet oaky aroma and caramel to the nose. The palate is quite spicy and nutty, with a generous dose of cinnamon. There's great texture and mouthfeel here, and the 46% ABV is a real treat. The finish is delicious. I REALLY like this whisky.

Blood orange grapefruit, citrus, grass, spice, toffee. Not a bad nice drop however it is a bit thin with the ethanol overpowering what the casks have to offer. Also the grapefruity bitterness on the aftertaste grates a bit. 3.6 is the average rating here on distillery and I agree.