This week I’m reviewing single casks of Edradour that were recently bottled for Spec’s in Texas; the further twist is that they’re all wine casks of one kind or the other. The series didn’t get off to the best start on Monday. That 10 yo Chardonnay cask had a little too much sulphur in it even for a non-sulphur-phobe like me. Water rescued it but, on the whole, it was underwhelming. Today’s cask, two years older and filled a year prior, is a moscatel cask. I don’t know that I’ve ever had a moscatel cask Edradour or Ballechin before. Let’s hope it gets the week back on track.

Edradour 12, 2010, Moscatel Cask (53.1%; for Spec’s; cask 88; from a bottle split)

Nose: Starts out nutty, beany and yeasty, just like the chardonnay cask. Some roasted malt on the second sniff and then a big wave of citrus (lime peel) and chalk. Spicier here too with time even as some sweeter fruit is teased—let’s see if water brings it out. No, not really; in fact, it washes it out.

Palate: A sweet arrival here with mild grape notes and some sweet citrus. Very approachable at full strength; decent texture. No sign of sulphur here—and not too much of the yeast or nutty/beany notes from the nose. The roasted malt emerges here after a bit of air. As it sits, the spicy notes emerge earlier. Water brings out more of the citrus.

Finish: Medium-long. The sweet notes fade out slowly. Gets spicier here as it goes with some powdered ginger emerging at the end. More citrus, more roasted malt and less spice here with water.

Comments: Now, this is a proper Edradour, with the spirit’s signature idiosyncrasies accented by the wine cask and not covered up by it.

Rating: 85 points.