This 4-year-old Lowlands malt from Lindores Abbey has a pretty unconventional coming-of-age story: Originally, the spirit started out in a Port pipe. After two-or-so years, however, the distillery team discovered leakage. So they moved the soon-to-be whisky into an Oloroso Sherry cask. There, it was granted another two years of sleep before it was deemed ready. Once filled, all 670 bottles went straight to Germany, where Lindores Abbey’s distributor Prineus Gmbh sold them as The Exclusive Cask #2018/0588 (alongside the fully sherried sister release #18/0581). When I first saw this double-matured single cask Scotch whisky announced on social media, I knew that I needed to try it ASAP. And when I got the chance to sip it at Kiel Whisky Fair 2022 shortly after, I secured a bottle without thinking twice. Looking back, that was a good decision. After all, the whisky itself is absolutely sublime: It is bountiful with aroma and matured far beyond its actual age. And it sold out quickly, too. If you still find it in an online shop, there is a good chance that you will have to pay a much higher amount for it than the original price. Yet, there is still hope for all those among you who have not yet bought a bottle of The Exclusive Cask #2018/0588. Cause at fairs and festivals, Prineus GmbH still sells this exceptional release at its booth for 80 bucks – at least that’s what they did at Just Whisky Hamburg some weeks ago. If you happen to see this whisky at that rate, be sure to grab it! You will be enthralled and abuzz!

by Tobi

Eye: Very, very dark.
Nose: Intense and indulgent! The first scents to rise from the glass are raisin, bramble, brittle, lime, and cinnamon (unsweetened). Then follow blackberry, licorice, and charred wood. A spoonful of soy sauce makes the whole thing more piquant, while a flintstone spark instills in the whisky a noticeable amount of sulphur. Time and again, a dextrose sweetness pierces through the thick, swirling blackness.
Palate: Heavy and jam-like with dark berries n’ cherries alongside other fruits, herbs, and spices. As a particularly vivid sensation, I get sliced strawberries drenched in balsamic vinegar. Furthermore, I make out elderflower juice and plum puree as well we purple wine gum and strong licorice. Plus leather polish and tobacco.
Finish: During the good and long finish, the whisky’s full-on darkness (licorice, sulphur, oak, black leather) gets punctured by sweet, creamy, and fruity aromas – such as chocolate cake, caramel foam, and bramble squash. Though the spirit itself is still of a very young age, it already shows some signs of that old, velvety Port feel, too.

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Region: Lowlands
Age: 4 years
Alc. volume: 57.4 per cent
Cask type: Port & Sherry
# of bottles: 670
Bottle size: 0.7 litres
Price: ~80.00 Euro
More info: https://lindoresabbeydistillery.com/ (Distillery) ; https://www.prineus.com/ (Importer)

*** I bought the bottle as a regular customer. ***