Two brand spanking new releases from The Duchess today, an Ailsa Bay 2011 13 Years and a Ben Nevis 2012 11 Years. They’ll be available starting today. That’s certainly enough to get us excited, also considering the high-quality of the previous Ailsa Bay from this boutique Dutch bottler.
I hadn’t realised this, but The Duchess has been around for some eight years now. If I remember correctly, this Auchentoshan was their first-ever release, quickly followed by a Glenrothes. The Duchess is closely aligned to a well-known Dutch retailer, Best of Whiskies, but these new releases will be available across several stores, including Whiskysite, Passion for Whisky, Excellence Rhum (France) and Nanyang Whisky (Singapore).
In recent years, The Duchess has been bottling whisky under their Game & Wildlife series, with artwork by Hans Dilesse. The new Ben Nevis 2012, featuring a seal, matured in a bourbon hogshead, which I expect to be a step up from this bottler’s previous Ben Nevis finished in a Shiraz cask.
The Ailsa Bay is nicknamed Paddy’s Milestone due to naming rights, much like The Duchess’ last Ailsa Bay release. The difference is that this edition is Oloroso hogshead matured. We’ll see how much of that classic Lowland profile is left after 13 years in a sherry hogshead
Ben Nevis 2012 11 Years (54.7%, The Duchess, C#117)
Nose: Right, immediately funky and a very outspoken Ben Nevis. There’s a touch of brass and copper, as well as candied lemons and Greek yoghurt. Then slivers of sourdough, fruity hops and chalk, followed by a tinge of mustard powder and even some rhubarb.
Taste: Full of oils. Plenty of minerals too, alongside hints of walnuts and peanut skins. There’s a bit of pepper, some horseradish, green olives and a good amount of underripe lemon. Decidedly uncommercial and almost wacky, but quintessential Ben Nevis.
Finish: Medium length. Lingering lemons, chalk and grainy cereals. Also something brine-y.
Ailsa Bay 2011 13 Years (54.4%, The Duchess, C#801396)
Nose: Hints of damp oak, nutty Oloroso and a sliver of mocha. Not exactly what I expected when I first saw this whisky’s providence, but it certainly fits the sherry cask profile. Touches of tobacco, dark chocolate and even some autumnal aromas. A fair bit of charred oak too.
Taste: The cask has somewhat taken over. Notes of cigar boxes, sandalwood and coffee grounds, as well as some walnuts, chocolate pralines and cured meats. There’s a subtle dryness, and the charred oak makes an encore as well. There might be some bung cloth too.
Finish: Medium length. The chocolate lingers for a while. Quite decadently, I might add, before there’s a gentle herbaceous note added to the fray.
Samples provided by The Duchess/Best of Whiskies
