Whisky fans like myself praise sherry cask whisky for its smooth, fruity character fused with a moreish nuttiness and hints of spice. So, what exactly is sherry cask whisky, how is it aged, and why is it so unique?
As you most likely guessed, sherry cask whisky matures in casks previously used for sherry (instead of regular plain oak barrels), allowing this whisky to inherit some of the fruity sherry flavours still lingering in the barrel.
The best sherry cask whiskies have richer fruit, nut, and spice notes and fewer bitter tannins than their non-sherry cask counterparts. Plus, the leftover sherry intensifies the oak compounds in the barrel.
Best Sherry Cask Whiskies
The best sherry cask whiskies are fruity, deliciously sweet, nutty, and spicy on the palette, thanks to being aged in sherry casks for additional depth. Here are my 9 top picks to consider.
1. Bushmills Black Bush
Overview
- Distiller: Bushmills
- ABV: 40% (80 Proof)
- Country: Ireland
- Colour: Gold
Review
While Bushmills excels at producing delicious blends, their Steamship line is a fantastic example of single malt. Commemorating the 125th anniversary of the SS Bushmills’ maiden voyage and originally a Travel Retail exclusive, this sherry cask liquor stands out from the crowd.
Bushmills matures the Steamship whiskey in first-fill oloroso sherry buttes. Doing so gives them a tantalisingly warm Christmas cake flavour. Unlike Christmas cake, though, this whiskey goes down without a struggle.
On The Nose
This superb Irish whiskey is refreshingly fruit-forward, with burnt toffee and red berry nose.
On The Palate
Sweet fruit flavours evolve into malt, chocolate, pineapple, vanilla, and peach flavours with a spicy, medium finish.
Best Served
I recommend you keep it super-simple… enjoy Bushmills Sherry Cask Whiskey with a drop of water, or neat if you prefer.
Pricing & Info
You can check the latest pricing, product information, and order online.
2. Glen Moray Sherry Cask Finish
Overview
- Distiller: Glen Moray
- ABV: 40% (80 Proof)
- Country: Scotland
- Colour: Pale Gold
Review
Glen Moray prides itself on producing excellent single malt scotch, and they’ve outdone itself with the Sherry Cask Finish. They’ve perfectly combined their classic use of pure river water, malted barley, copper stills, and ex-bourbon casks with oloroso sherry casks.
Thanks to a brief maturation in these barrels, the Glen Moray Sherry Cask Finish retains the classic Speyside flavours plus an exciting new fruit and nut dimension.
On The Nose
Enjoy sun-dried fruits, cinnamon, and toffee aromas with this light-bodied golden scotch.
On The Palate
Delicious fruits, vanilla oak, oriental spice, and dark chocolate notes. I found that this scotch has a lengthy, bittersweet chocolate finish.
Best Served
Serve this scotch with a dash of water to open up its complex flavours (see my how-to-taste whiskey guide).
Pricing & Info
You can check the latest pricing, product information, and order online.
3. Dalmore 15-Year-Old
Overview
- Distiller: Dalmore
- ABV: 40% (80 Proof)
- Country: Scotland
- Colour: Rich Amber
Review
Since 1263, Dalmore has produced elegant, rich single malt whiskies with a signature orange and chocolate flavour. They use high-quality exclusive oloroso sherry casks thanks to their longstanding friendship with the González Byass sherry house.
Dalmore’s 15-Year-Old whisky is their house style par excellence, with a smooth, well-rounded taste and mouthfeel that I recommend are well worth getting acquainted with.
On The Nose
The Dalmore 15 boasts aromas of orange marmalade, nutmeg, and cinnamon with a hint of dried petals.
On The Palate
A medium body of fruitiness and spice with zesty mandarin, vanilla, apple, and ginger notes. Finally, enjoy a rich caramelised orange and dark chocolate finish and a nutty spice aftertaste.
Best Served
You can add a splash of water to amplify the spice and chocolate notes – the perfect whiskey for a cold winter night.
Pricing & Info
You can check the latest pricing, product information, and order online.
4. Bunnahabhain 12-Year Whisky
Overview
- Distiller: Bunnahabhain
- ABV: 46.3% (92.6 Proof)
- Country: Scotland
- Colour: Russet Gold
Review
Located on a remote bay of the Sound of Islay, Bunnahabhain produces unmistakable non-peated single malt whisky. Their scotch uses pure spring water and concerto barley, giving them a trademark natural colour and coastal influence.
There’s no better example of this quality than their 12-Year whisky, which began their core range and continues to stand out as their flagship product.
Related: 9 Best Peated Whiskies
On The Nose
This russet gold scotch blew me away with its fresh, aromatic nose, dried fruit, and floral bouquet.
On The Palate
Bunnahabhain’s 12-Year whisky is light on the palate, with a sweet, nutty taste and faint saltiness thanks to its maturation in sherry casks. The aftertaste is sherry, nuts, and a touch of salt.
Best Served
Add a splash of water to this excellent scotch to open it up and reveal a smoky fruitcake flavour.
Pricing & Info
You can check the latest pricing, product information, and order online.
5. Arran Sherry Cask
Overview
- Distiller: Arran
- ABV: 55.8% (111.6 Proof)
- Country: Scotland
- Colour: Amber
Review
Nicknamed “The Bodega,” the Arran Sherry Cask whisky is a luscious and elegant single malt. While the bottling might return to Arran’s classic style, this whisky boasts a new, jaw-dropping level of craftsmanship and quality.
Arran is a distillery that uses only natural ingredients, preserving their whiskies’ great flavourings by never using chill filtration or adding caramel. Spending seven years in first-fill sherry casks gives this scotch plenty of sherry richness.
On The Nose
This whisky has toffee, orange, and sweet spice aromas, which develop into a palate of ripe figs and cherries.
On The Palate
Fruity and lightly spicy on the opening, Arran Sherry Cask concludes with dark chocolate and mandarin finish, with additional fig notes.
Best Served
The sherry influence is evident throughout, and trying this scotch on the rocks is the only way to get the whole sherry cask experience, in my opinion.
Pricing & Info
You can check the latest pricing, product information, and order online.
6. Tamnavulin Sherry Cask Edition
Overview
- Distiller: Tamnavulin
- ABV: 40% (80 Proof)
- Country: Scotland
- Colour: Amber
Review
Tamnavulin offers a distinctive and mellow whisky. Their single malts stand out from the crowd with their sweet smoothness and adherence to the excellent Speyside Valley style.
As a member of their Core Collection, the Sherry Cask Edition perfectly sums up these delicious characteristics.
Also Read: 12 Best Things To Mix With Whiskey (Quick Guide)
On The Nose
This whisky is amber gold, with vanilla, tarte Tatin nose that develops with spicy banana and orange aromas.
On The Palate
Tamnavulin Sherry Cask Edition is warm and exotic on the palate, with citrus, toffee, and Demerara sugar notes. This single malt also offers hints of black pepper, cinnamon and a rich finish reminiscent of fruit cake.
Best Served
Tamnavulin recommends you enjoy this whisky neat over ice; however, I did enjoy it with ginger ale for that extra spice kick.
Pricing & Info
You can check the latest pricing, product information, and order online.
7. Redbreast 12-Year-Old
Overview
- Distiller: Redbreast
- ABV: 40% (80 Proof)
- Country: Ireland
- Colour: Soft Gold
Review
Although it might be the best-selling single-pot still Irish whiskey worldwide, Redbreast has kept its traditional style and quality intact. The 12-Year-Old has been one of their flagship products since its relaunch in the 1990s.
This Irish whiskey uses copper pot stills. It matures initially in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels. Afterwards, it moves into Spanish oak oloroso buttes to pick up that classic sherry cask character.
On The Nose
Redbreast 12-Year-Old has a delightfully fruity nose with touches of toasted wood.
On The Palate
This whiskey evolves into complex and spicy sherry, vanilla, apple, and pepper taste notes. The finish is long, with a lingering aftertaste.
Best Served
I prefer to enjoy this 12-year-old with a splash of cola or ginger ale. I can’t help but agree with the Redbreast slogan: the best way to enjoy this whiskey is to share it with others.
Pricing & Info
You can check the latest pricing, product information, and order online.
8. The Macallan 12-Year-Old Sherry Oak
Overview
- Distiller: The Macallan
- ABV: 40% (80 Proof)
- Country: Scotland
- Colour: Soft Gold
Review
The Macallan is a favourite of American whisky drinkers, and it isn’t hard to see why this distillery is so famous. The Macallan has cemented itself as an outstanding whisky producer using hand-picked, high-quality oak casks from sustainable forests.
Their 12-Year-Old Sherry Oak is no exception. This scotch is genuinely remarkable, with a naturally rich gold colour and a complex vanilla nose.
I just wanted to add… that, unlike other sherry cask whiskies, The Macallan varieties spend their entire maturation in oloroso barrels, further intensifying its fruity flavour.
On The Nose
Dried fruits, marmalade, spice.
On The Palate
The taste is smooth and medium-bodied, with marmalade notes, oak, and sweet barley sugar. The finish is long, with oak, dried fruit, and spice notes.
Best Served
There’s no better way to enjoy Macallan 12-Year-Old Sherry Oak than adding this scotch to a sherry and tonic water cocktail.
Pricing & Info
You can check the latest pricing, product information, and order online.
9. Berry Bros. & Rudd Classic Sherry Cask Malt Scotch Whisky
Overview
- Distiller: Berry Bros. & Rudd
- ABV: 45.3% (90.6 Proof)
- Country: Scotland
- Colour: Deep Amber
Review
Lastly, we have the Berry Bros. & Rudd entry into sherry cask whisky. While this company might not have started as a distillery, they’ve come far in the business. They now showcase the best that British whisky has to offer.
Related: 7 Delicious Whiskey Liqueurs
On The Nose
This traditional scotch opens with a bouquet of raisins, blood orange, and vanilla.
On The Palate
This sherry cask whisky reveals a taste of black pepper, clove, and pineapple. The long and lingering finish highlights the sherry flavours throughout this spirit.
Best Served
Enjoy the Sherry Cask Malt Scotch Whisky with a splash of water. It’s a classic of the style, and you should savour it like one.
Pricing & Info
You can check the latest pricing, product information, and order online.
Andrew’s Top Pick
Redbreast 12-Year-Old
My top pick sherry cask whisky has to be Redbreast 12-Year-Old due to its rich and fruity sherry persona with a touch of vanilla.
Whisky Summary
| Name | Age | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Bushmills Black Bush | 10 years | Ireland |
| Glen Moray Sherry Cask Finish | 12 years | Scotland |
| Dalmore 15-Year-Old | 15 years | Scotland |
| Bunnahabhain 12-Year Whisky | 12 years | Scotland |
| Arran Sherry Cask | 7 years | Scotland |
| Tamnavulin Sherry Cask Edition | 10 years | Scotland |
| Redbreast 12-Year-Old | 12 years | Ireland |
| The Macallan 12-Year-Old Sherry Oak | 12 years | Scotland |
| Berry Bros. & Rudd Classic Sherry Cask | 12 years | Scotland |
Conclusion
To conclude, sherry casks might be a luxury in whisky distilleries, but they’re worth the effort. The best sherry cask whiskies impart a unique fruity, nutty spice to scotch, a flavour profile that whisky lovers, including myself, need to order more often.
Related: 9 Japanese Whiskies For Beginners
Further Reading
Below are some additional articles from The Drinks Geek blog. We write articles on several fascinating areas of drinks, including different brands, drink types, cocktail recipes and more.
