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KWM 2021 Whisky Calendar Day 21: Glencadam 21 Year Old

Posted on December 21, 2021

by Evan

Since we did bottlings from Angus Dundee's Tomintoul and Glencadam Distilleries back to back earlier on Day Two and Day Three of the 2021 KWM Whisky Calendar it seems appropriate to do so once more. Today we are heading from our stay at Tomintoul in Speyside to the Highlands and Glencadam Distillery for the Glencadam 21-Year-Old. Would you look at that: a 21-Year-Old Whisky for Day 21! Maybe we do plan ahead sometimes at KWM!

The owners of Glendcadam and Tomintoul - Angus Dundee Distillers - is a family-owned operation. It was founded by Terry Hillman, a former Burns Stewart Executive, in 1950. For years the company was a blender and distributor of whisky until it entered the distillery ownership side of things by purchasing Tomintoul in the year 2000. Glencadam Distillery was purchased a few years later in 2003. Angus Dundee has now headed Terry's siblings Aaron and Tanya.

The company has been operating for more than 70 years now and it might just be one of the largest Scottish Whisky companies to fly under the radar with many consumers like you and me. According to this article in the Courier from 2019, Angus Dundee is responsible for up to 1/20th of all whisky exported from Scotland in bottles or by bulk in tankers as of that date.

That is impressive, but with that kind of volume and clout, how is it we don't see more pomp and circumstance regarding their distilleries' Tomintoul and Glencadam? I would say that the whisky they release is at least above par compared to some other better-selling single malts in the same price range. I do wish that some of the Tomintoul range was bottled at a higher ABV, such as the Tomintoul 16 Year and Peaty Tang that we have already tasted in this year's KWM Whisky Calendar. 

Maybe their product line is stale and needs a revamp? This could be - I am not a packaging and label nut and I try my damndest to judge no book by its cover but I must say that the lineup for both Glencadam and Tomintoul is easy to browse past on the shelf. Maybe a raw, cask strength version from these distilleries would add some excitement? I personally would love to see a cask strength Tomintoul Peaty Tang or Old Ballantruan, or a high strength version of the 10-year-old from Glencadam.

One thing that would definitely help within Alberta and Canada is if Angus Dundee would not change importers every few years. Maybe add a bit to the marketing budget as well? Oh, and also offer single cask selections to liquor stores such as Kensington Wine Market? Just a thought.

You can tell it is Day 20 on the KWM Whisky Calander and we are entering crunch time because I am going off on more tangents. My tasting notes will probably get even weirder as well if that is even possible. Will that be the case with the Glencadam 21-Year-Old? Let's find out!

Glencadam 21-Year-Old - 46%

Evan’s Tasting Note

Nose: Coconut and chocolate Bounty Bars, Peaches and cream, waxy apple skins, lemon sherbet, a light pina colada note, dry cedar planks, and orange and yellow leaves falling to the ground in autumn.

Palate: Very juicy and creamy with chamomile tea, candied ginger, vanilla buttercream frosting on a red velvet cupcake, more lemon sherbet, passion fruit juice, and saltwater taffy where didn't quite get all of the wax paper unwrapped before popping the whole thing in your mouth.

Finish: Waxy and slightly drying with trail mix on the fade.

Comment: A nicely put-together 21 Year Old that showcases the long marriage of ex-Bourbon casks with Glencadam spirit.

This is a solid dram from an Angus Dundee owned distillery, which makes it four for four for me in this year's Whisky Calander (gripes about the low ABV on the Tomintoul's aside). There is no way we are going to squeeze in a 5th Angus Dundee bottle in these last few days is there?

Is there?

Cheers,
Evan
evan@kensingtonwinemarket.com
Twitter and Instagram: @sagelikefool

This entry was posted in Whisky, Tastings, Whisky Calendars, KWM Whisky Calendar 2021

 

 

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