Nc’nean Cask Strength Single Malt
It’s no secret how big a fan I am of Nc’nean, so any chance to try a new release is an exciting one for me. This one in particular caught my eye, since Annabel Thomas (Nc’nean’s founder) had indicated that they had resisted releasing a cask strength edition for quite some time when she came on for episode 148 (embedded below).
For American whiskies, I’m almost always in favor of cask strength expressions. With malt, though, that kind of strength isn’t needed nearly as often to carry the flavor. An 80, 86, or 92 proof single malt or blended malt can be plenty flavorful - Nc’nean’s core single malt is now a go-to on my shelf for that very reason. The beautifully light lemon and malt flavors come through on that 92 proof backbone, the oak rounding the profile.
So I had a conundrum - sometimes, I find cask strength Scotch whiskies to be a little too rough around the edges, as though in an effort to please the American palate (or that of us whisky nerds) they put forth a full-force release, only for it to be harsh, unfinished, too woody, the usual balance and maturity (even in younger whiskies) missing.
Would I be worried about that for Nc’nean, my favorite new distillery of 2024? Not really, to be honest. I thought it might be strong, but balance was not a concern. And true to form, they proved me right.
I will say that overall, I prefer the original Nc’nean Single Malt at 92 proof. The Nc’nean Cask Strength is powerful, with clearer oak astringency and peppery spice and a consequently stronger ex-bourbon influence, too. The cask mix is 55% STR red wine, 43% American Whiskey, 2% Oloroso Sherry, and I’d venture to say the STR is the strongest in texture with the American Whiskey casks strongest in flavor. The oloroso adds a dark red fruit that isn’t present for me in the core release when side-by-side tasting, just barely, to add sweetness against the new-ish oak of the STR casks.
There is one more element that intrigues me: according to Annabel via the press release:
“I’m really excited to be adding a cask strength whisky to our flagship range. When this expression was previously bottled exclusively for some of our fans in Germany, we received such an enthusiastic response about the fruitiness and spice that the higher alcohol strength brings to our signature whisky. With this in mind, we decided to roll it out across our other markets. If you’re a fan of cask strength whiskies, then this one is for you!”.
The previously bottled cask strength expression for the German market claimed a Master medal at The Drinks Business and Spirits Business Spring Tasting, with judges calling it “An excellent example of a cask strength Scotch single malt. Incredible depth and complexity, and great integration of high abv.”
I highlight this only because, well, the German market can handle some of the more out-there profiles. Companies with sulfurous whisky or super-estery rums often turn to the German market to release them as “special releases,” a euphemistic way to say “nobody else would take these but this country seems to love it.” There’s nothing so out there about this release as to suggest this is the case, and frankly since the release is wide-ranging (distribution-wise) there’s even less reason for me to think there was something “off”. Seems like they - Nc’nean - just realized they had a kick-ass release that a larger audience would enjoy, found the stock to meet demand, and did so.
The batching also means that the cask strength isn’t simply an undiluted version of their core single malt, which would have been the easy way to go. It’s a consciously chosen and blended release, meant to showcase what the Nc’nean team wants you to taste in a cask strength expression. More red fruit, more oak, more peppery spice - all of which come through in spades.
In closing, having had a few cask strength releases that were not called as such (AON, for example), I quite enjoy them, particularly when there’s a profile in mind (the AON cask was New York-specific and had an apple undertone. This Nc’nean Cask Strength Single Malt is the in-between - at 59%/118 proof, it won’t blow out your palate, but will certainly light it up. You can try it and see if a stronger Nc’nean single malt is to your liking, then go further into those single casks that are starting to roll out (check out the one from fellow Whiskey Ring Podcast guest The Heart Cut, episode 191 and embedded above). At a $99,99 SRP, it’s only $20 more than the core single malt, so if you already like the core it’s not a big jump. Even if my own preference remains the Nc’nean Single Malt at 92 proof, I can highly recommend this for fans of Nc’nean and fans of higher proof single malt without hesitation.
This sample was provided by Nc’nean via ImpEx Beverages at no cost. All opinions are my own.
Nc’nean Cask Strength Single Malt: Specs
Classification: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Producer: Nc’nean Distillery
Batch: Cask Strength Batch MN21
Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley
Proof: 118º (59% ABV)
Age: NAS
Location: Scotland
Nc’nean Cask Strength Single Malt Price: $99.99
Nc’nean Cask Strength Single Malt: Tasting Notes
Eye: 14K gold. Thin, elegant rims and equally elegant and thin legs.
Nose: Gentle malt, a bit of barnyard funk, peaches and white nectarines. Proof and oak barely noticeable. Clementine or tangerine citrus, sweet and juicy. Lemon shortbread, red spice drops add sharpness after air.
Palate: The Nc’nean core profile explodes on the front third of my tongue - buttery lemon shortbread, sharp, clear bourbon cask lactones, white- and yellow-fleshed stonefruits. Proof present but quite bearable. Mouthfeel is medium-bodied, sits mid-tongue and grows on the chew. Oak astringency rounds into the corners of my mouth, oily but still light. Connecticut cigar wrappers.
Finish: Oakier than expected, the wood and proof both prickling my tongue from tip to throat. The hint of funk returns, almost peaty, rich and fatty. Drying and coating with a long finish.
Overall: Accomplishes exactly what it should, showcasing Nc’nean at full strength. It does bring out (allow?) surprisingly more oak and astringency, just on the edge of being too much for me but then again I’m sensitive to that. Retains the beautiful elegance of stone fruits and bourbon casks and a touch of oloroso in the back.
Final Rating: 7.7
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10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close
9 | Incredible | Extraordinary
8 | Excellent | Exceptional
7 | Great | Well above average
6 | Very Good | Better than average
5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary
4 | Has promise but needs work
1-3 | Let’s have a conversation
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