Glencadam distillery is in the centre of what was once the ancient sandstone city of Brechin, featuring a magnificent medieval cathedral built around 1150. The distillery was built in 1825 and is the only surviving establishment in the Tayside area with a pair of small pot stills, whose lyne arms, unusually incline 15 degrees upwards, encouraging reflux.
Today Glencadam is a very busy distillery that also runs a huge filling and bottling plant with 16 large tanks for blending malt and grain whisky, producing the likes of Ballantine's and Stewart's Cream of the Barley.
Glencadam Distillery
Glencadam 1991 16yo Single Malt 46% Single & Single (South Africa)
Vanilla, over ripe bananas and Cape gooseberries.
The palate has an initial sweetness that descends to an aloe bitterness with a dry grapefruit finish. The cask selection reflected by the palate. Not recommended. 70
Glencadam 22yo Single Malt Distilled June 1985 Hogshead Cask#3996 43% Chieftains.
Vinous and vanilla, so sweet in fact that a honeycomb must have been sprinkled with vanilla icing sugar. The barley is noticeable but timid against the honey-sweet onslaught of pear creme brulee.
Silky sweet on the tongue, a chilli bite at the back and then the oak pulses with a hint of bourbon on the finish.
A touch of aqua adds icing to the barley cake and makes for a delicious dram. 85
Glencadam 15yo Single Malt 46% Unchillfiltered and No Added Colouring.
Wild honey, honeycomb, the barley evident but sweet and sticky with stewed apples and a grassy note.
The honey sweetness, the malted barley are all reflected on the palate, deliciously moreish.
Doesn't need any water. A gorgeous dessert-wine dram. Highly recommended. 86
Glencadam 1990 19yo Single Malt Cask#996 46% Montgomerie's The Single cask Collection (Unchillfiltered and Colouring Free).
Wow! Bees to honey on this nose, the barley in repose, happy to be coated in so much vanilla and honey, green table grape, Muscadel and creme brulee.
A liquid icing sugar liqueur coating on the tongue, spicy, sweet chilli and the wood, so American, having the last laugh on the finish. Bourbon and vanilla sweet once a dash of water is added. 87
Glencadam 14yo Single Malt 16 Months Oloroso Sherry Finish 46% Unchillfiltered and No Caramel Added.
Richer, bolder and fruitier than the 15yo. The Oloroso element dominant. The sweet sherry combining beautifully with the honey and vanilla, almost masking the malted barley in the background but introducing wine gums and chewy fruits.
Again, on the palate, this dram is more viscous, creamier than the 15yo, coating the tongue with intensely sweet vinous and barley flavours, then a touch of peppery spice with the Oloroso sherrylingering on the finish stamping its authority again. An outstanding whisky, the sherry element adding so much more depth and complexity. Best tasted untouched, undiluted. 88
