Nickolls & Perks Ardnamurchan 2019 Cask #2080 & Nickolls & Perks Cotswolds 2017 Cask #1355

Nickolls & Perks Ardnamurchan 2019 Cask #2080

Region: Highlands

ABV: 59.8%

Price: £85.00

This 2019 vintage release is peated spirit that was matured in a first-fill Pedro Ximénez sherry hogshead and bottled in 2024 for Nickolls & Perks. A total of 313 bottles were released. 

Nose

The nose is fairly tight initially and takes a few minutes in the glass to open up. With some patience, notes of buttery croissants, maraschino cherries, Pepsi, and raspberry ripple start to emerge. Returning to it, red fruits become more prominent, alongside hints of ginger, prunes, cinnamon, and butterscotch. It’s pleasant to nose, but we wouldn’t have immediately this as Ardnamurchan. 

Palate

The palate, like the nose, is initially quite subtle, but as it sits on the tongue notes of treacle, raisins, candied ginger, black pepper, brown sugar, orange, and turmeric start to emerge. Given the colour, we were expecting a more sherry-forward profile, but while there’s a noticeable sherry influence, it’s not an overwhelming sherry bomb. The mouthfeel is good, and the finish is medium in length with a lingering sweetness. However, it’s not immediately recognisable as Ardnamurchan, as the cask influence has largely overpowered the spirit. 

Nose (with water)

Boom—here comes the sherry. Prunes, raspberry jam, cranberries, and raisins dominate, alongside chocolate coins and a touch of dunnage funk. Water has really opened this up, transforming it into a bold, high-proof sherry bomb. It may be one-dimensional, but it’s a very enjoyable dimension. 

Palate (with water)

The palate follows the reduced nose with an abundance of sherry influence—rancio, cloves, aniseed, prunes, and raisins, all of which linger on a medium-length finish. There’s also a slight syrupy sweetness that rounds it out. 

Conclusion

Without water this is a touch tight, but with water it’s an absolute sherry bomb as expected. Saying that it’s a good dram, but as we drink it we find ourselves pondering the question why don’t people who enjoy a whisky this intensely sherried just go and drink some sherry and save themselves some cash. Our pondering aside, we can’t deny it’s a tasty dram.

Score: 7.5/10

Value

The price is in line with other single cask releases from the distillery or other bottlers.

Nickolls & Perks Cotswolds 2017 Cask #1355

Region: England

ABV: 59.2%

Price: £120.00 

This 2017 vintage release was entirely matured in a first-fill ruby Port hogshead and bottled in 2024 for Nickolls & Perks. A total of 282 bottles were released. 

Nose

The nose is quite tight initially, there’s some foam strawberries, white sugar, Orange peel, raspberry ripple ice cream, and a Hint of ginger. at 59.2% ABV it’s initially much easier to nose than you’d expect, but as it’s sits in the glass a sour cranberry note appears alongside some toffee and that alcohol becomes more noticeable. Although it is balanced somewhat by the sweeter notes also becoming more pronounced.

Palate

The palate has heaps of red fruits and raisins. It’s a little Like someone has mixed half and half Malbec with vintage port. Unfortunately the two don’t fully marry making this a touch disjointed. There’s some Lemon drizzle cake that appears on the mid palate that lingers with Big Red chewing gum, and a little red fruit sweetness on the medium length finish. The mouth feel is fine. Very cask forward and we’d struggle to identify the spirit here.

Nose (with water)

The nose when diluted shows a little more alcohol spice and along with it some brown sugar, chocolate, and treacle notes. It’s interesting and we’re getting a bit of a sherry vibe from the nose now with those sweeter red fruits notes being pushed into the background. 

Palate (with water)

The palate, when diluted, remains fairly similar to the undiluted version, but the flavours now marry together a bit more. With time, a hint of honey and raisins begins to emerge. The mouthfeel remains unchanged, and the finish is still of medium length, though with slightly less of the Big Red gum flavour. 

Conclusion

A dram that benefits from a touch of water to open up the nose, soften the spice on the palate, and help the flavours meld. We did enjoy this, but it felt as though it could have been any spirit that went into the cask, as the final result gave no clear indication of the distillery’s identity.

Score: 7/10

Value

Given the current slump in the whisky market, we can’t help but wonder how well young single cask whiskies from newer distilleries will sell—especially when priced well over £100.

• 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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