Tasting Notes
Tied between two coconut palm trees, the hammock gently swayed in a breeze that mixed wafts of fragrant tobacco and polished tropical wood with soft leather. Falling into the comfort of rhubarb and custard, we drifted into a sweet dream lined with treacle and plums. Cranberries, strawberries and cherries fell like gifts from the gods into mounds of dried cinnamon and ginger. With a dash of heavenly water, waves of rum and raisin ice cream washed hazelnuts and dried petals beneath our swaying hammock. Then we awoke, perfectly timed for another mango lassi. After 29 years in an oloroso butt this was transferred to a first fill Pedro Ximénez butt for the remainder of its maturation.
From the Spirits Team
Cask No. 12.80: Heaven in a leather hammock is all about layers of flavour. This whisky has the benefit of two oak types, American and Spanish oak, and two sherry types, oloroso and Pedro Ximénez. These all add to the rich colour and layers of flavour in this 34-year-old dram from the Society’s Spicy & Dry flavour profile. What makes this so special is also its limited volume, with one batch of spirit going on a journey in its entirety from one cask to another through these two different types of wood. If you could only take one dram with you to a desert island this would be it. Loaded with sweet spice, it transported our Tasting Panel to a hammock gently swaying in a breeze of fragrant tobacco and polished tropical wood with soft leather. Bottled at cask strength, this whisky remains at an astonishing 59.2% abv despite its 34 years of age. Was it filled at high strength at the start of its life? Or stored in a warehouse with a particularly humid climate? Cask No. 12.80: Heaven in a leather hammock shows off the wonders of a whisky aged over multiple decades, on a unique journey through different cask types – truly a taste of heaven.
About The Vaults Collection
The Vaults Collection is a selection of the finest and rarest single cask, single malt whisky, set aside from The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s most remarkable stocks over the years. They have been released from the depths of our treasure trove of casks, after decades of slow maturation and careful nurturing. The Vaults Collection represents the whisky lover’s dream: A chance to journey back into whisky history, including the opportunity to experience styles or distilleries that no longer exist. The Collection takes its name from the Society’s historical home at The Vaults in Leith, Scotland’s oldest commercial building in continuous use whose connection with the drinks world dates back to the 12th century. Each bottle has a specially designed label and is offered in a beautiful wooden box.