Cadenheads Enigma Highland 14yo & Cadenheads Original Collection Hazelburn 13yo

Cadenheads Enigma Highland 14yo

Region: Highlands

ABV: 53.9%

Price: £80.00

There's not much information about this 14yo year old, except that it was matured in Refill Sherry & Refill Bourbon Casks. There's no mention of how many bottles were made available.

Nose

Initially, the aromas evoke honeycomb ice cream, Cadbury's Crunchie, cream soda, with a hint of light peat smoke in the background. Time reveals notes of burnt bacon, butterscotch Angel Delight, cranberries, and oats. The alcohol is well integrated, making the ABV difficult to guess.

Palate

The palate delivers a powerful punch of peat, thats very medicinal in character with ample TCP. There’s also notes of sea salt, peanut butter, and gingernut biscuits. For our tastes, it leans a bit too spicy. The mouthfeel is decent, and the finish is a good length through the spice dominants. There’s sweetness here, but the overall the dram is definitely more savoury. It’s also drying out our mouths slightly.

Nose (with water)

Adding water introduces a dryness to the nose that echoes the palate, accompanied by a sense of dustiness or mustiness. The medicinal peat note transitions more towards ash, with the sweetness notably receding, making the nose now closely resemble the undiluted palate. Going back we notice a strong note of pistachios.

Palate (with water)

With reduction, the palate acquires a certain grittiness, along with notes of washing-up liquid, stale cigarette ash, and more citrus fruits. The spiciness has diminished, though it remains slightly too much for our liking. The mouthfeel has become thinner, yet the finish still maintains a decent length.

Conclusion

Not one we’re massively enamoured with, but we feel that people who are looking for a hit of Highland peat will enjoy this more than we did. We’ll give this a technical score of 7.

Score: 7/10

Value

We’d have loved to have seen this a few quid cheaper, but it’s not terrible value.

Cadenheads Original Collection Hazelburn 13yo

Region: Campbeltown

ABV: 46.0%

Price: £70.00

This release was matured in bourbon casks. Like today’s other review there’s not much in the way of other info on this one.

Nose

Initially, the aroma offers notes of honey, lemon peel, strawberries, and raspberries. Revisiting it after some air, we detect additional notes of mangoes and papaya, complemented by rice crisp bread, porridge, and tobacco. There’s also light notes of vanilla pods and a plasticine or playdoh-like scent.

Palate

The palate opens with lemon sherbet, before mirroring the nose with notes of strawberries and raspberries. These notes transition to tobacco, before a wave of chilli heat takes over, lingering on a good length finish. The mouthfeel is slightly thin, which aligns with expectations given the ABV. Although as we sit with it we’re finding it spicier than expected.

Nose (with water)

It’s opened up nicely with water with the original notes still showing on the nose, but now there’s also some fruit coulee, meringue, passion fruit, and warehouse funk appearing. As we go back we notice something almost smoky here.

Palate (with water)

Water has brought out a hint of bitterness, but the trade off is a little of the spice has diminished. The mouthfeel remains unchanged, and the pre dilution notes are still all here. It’s just a shame the palate hasn’t opened up like the nose.

Conclusion

We’d recommend a few drops of water in this. With reduction it’s a pretty decent dram. Although sadly it doesn’t match ip to some of the truly great Hazelburn drams we’ve tried. Saying that we wouldn’t say no to another dram.

Score: 6.5/10

Value

Not bad, but we do wish Cadenhead would stick with their cask strength releases and drop the original collection.

• 10 - Perfection. One in a million
• 9 - Outstanding. Exceptional whisky.
• 8 - Great. Would seek this out.
• 7 - Good. Quality whisky.
• 6 - Above average. Happy to have a dram.
• 5 - Average. Drinkable whisky.
• 4 - Below average. Passable.
• 3 - Flawed. Noticeable negatives.
• 2 - Defective. Significant faults.
• 1 - Offensive. Pour it out.

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