After the Talisker 18 year old and a lovely Arran from Gordon & MacPhail, this Unnamed Orkney 2006 from Van Wees is the third and second to last from the lineup of the family tasting. One that we had to get used to at first, but as the evening went on, it got better and better. Whether this was due to our mood that became increasingly cheerful or whether it really needed some time to develop…. Well, we will test that today. 🙂
When I came across this Orkney, I thought they made a mistake as it was only €52 (If I remember correctly). That’s an excellent price for a 16-year-old whisky these days. The Ultimate range from Van Wees is always reasonably priced, but this was cheap even for them. So adding it to the lineup was a no-brainer, and what is an Islands tasting without a single malt from Orkney, right?
This Orkney has matured in a refill butt before being bottled at a strength of 46%. The cask number is DRU17/A65#4.
Unnamed Orkney 2006 tasting notes:
Nose: Raisins. Rose hips. Fresh plums. A heather note. Tobacco. Cinnamon. Just a tiny bit of sulphur, but very in the back. This is followed by vanilla. Honey. Dark chocolate and toffee too.
Taste: a hint of smoke and tobacco. Dark chocolate and toffee. A note of raisins. Honey. A little bit of creme brulee. This is followed by a pinch of salt. Cinnamon and a hint of nutmeg.
Finish: short to mid-long with plenty of honey, chocolate, and a hint of the same spices again, but this time also a bit of black pepper.
Ok, luckily, it didn’t disappoint, haha. So it wasn’t because we drank a little more that night that it got better and better. It is really a lovely whisky and especially for such a price. A whisky with the right amount of spices and some sweet tones as well. For around €50, this is great value for money. Still available in some places.
