Glencadam 17yo Réserve de Calvados & Glencadam 1996 27yo Reserva de Jerez

Glencadam 17yo Réserve de Calvados

Region: Highlands

ABV: 46.0%

Price: £124.00

Released in 2026, this 17-year-old Glencadam single malt was initially matured in ex-bourbon American oak casks before they were married and finished in Calvados barrels sourced from Normandy. The release was 6,360 bottles.

Nose

The nose opens vanilla and orange, reminiscent of a Solero ice lolly. There’s also passion fruit, apricot yoghurt, toasted cashew nuts, apple slices, whipped cream and pineapple juice. We get a touch of pepper spice, but the alcohol is well integrated overall.

Palate

There’s caramel syrup, honey, fudge, and cooking apples upfront on the palate. Marshmallows, orange rind and a touch of light peppery spice joins on the finish, alongside a little roasted coffee. The mouthfeel is good and is a touch syrupy, while the finish is medium in length.

Nose (with water)

With water, the nose is mustier, with pencil shavings and a touch more ethanol coming through. There’s also ready salted hand-cooked crisps. The pre dilution fruit is less intense, giving way to more fudge and synthetic sweetness like strawberry Chewits.

Palate (with water)

The palate is a little spicier now, like the nose there’s less fresh fruit and more chocolate, toffee and burnt brown sugar. The mouthfeel has held up well, and the finish remains medium in length.

Conclusion

We personally prefer this without water, but we’re sure some might disagree. We’re not the biggest Calvados fans and generally prefer our whisky at cask strength, so, to be honest, we weren’t expecting much. However, we were pleasantly surprised. This is a very tasty wee drop, with a pleasant nose and an enjoyable palate.

Score: 7/10

Value

It’s tasty, but probably just a little too expensive for us personally, given the age, ABV, etc. We’re going to keep an eye out for a price cut.

Glencadam 1996 27yo Reserva de Jerez

Region: Highlands

ABV: 46.0%

Price: £540.00

Distilled at Glencadam in 1996 and released in 2024 after 27 years of maturation, this limited-edition single malt was initially matured in ex-bourbon American oak casks. The selected casks were then married together and finished in Oloroso sherry butts sourced from Jerez, Spain. The release comprised 1,691 bottles.

Nose

The nose opens with strawberry yoghurt, chalk and dried wood. There’s a hint of pepper showing the alcohol spice, but it’s minimal. Going back afterward air and there’s also strawberries and cream, marzipan, cheap aftershave and cinnamon.

Palate

The palate opens with Play-Doh, raisins, caramel and butterscotch angel delight. It’s kinda just largely generic sherry notes here It’s also surprisingly spicy given the ABV. The mouthfeel is decent, and too much cinnamon spice joins the other notes on the medium-length finish.

Nose (with water)

That aftershave note is really strong now, alongside warehouse must, more alcohol spice, dried wood and pencil shavings. The pre-dilution fruit has been replaced by more Caramac and toffee-style synthetic sweetness.

Palate (with water)

There’s a hint of chlorine now, alongside orange rind, brown sugar and caramel. The mouthfeel has really taken a hit, while the finish remains medium in length but is now noticeably spicier.

Conclusion

We’re not fans of this with water. Even without water it’s disappointing, as after trying the 17-year-old we had high hopes, but this feels a little like generic sherry whisky. Don’t get us wrong, it’s not bad, it just doesn’t deliver what we’d hoped for from a 27-year-old whisky.

Score: 6/10

Value

It definitely feels too expensive for a 27-year-old whisky.

• 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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