Union 5yo 2017/2023

Union 5yo 2017/2023

Individual Cask, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Rio Grande do Sul
Amber brown
56.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Strawberry laces, honey, raisins, gooseberries, vanilla, brown paper. With water, strawberry jam, raisins, cloves, pears. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, cool, tingly.
Tasting:  Sweet. Brown paper, gooseberries, green tea, strawberry laces, peanuts, orange peel, hints of damson jam. With water, blueberry jam, raisins, damson jam, green tea. 
Finish: Long. Fresh baked bread, vanilla, orange peel, milk chocolate. 

Comments: 

Fruity, lots of sweet jammy notes. It’s not peated, so there’s plenty of cask influence here. There’s a nutty undertone that characterises the whisky and was present int the other Union I had too. Very interesting.

Verdict:

I like this.

Union 5yo (bottled 2022)

Union 5yo (bottled 2022)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Rio Grande do Sul
Golden
58.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pineapples, lemon zest, lemon sweets, pear drops, germolene, leather, hints of driftwood smoke. With water, pear drops, lemon sweets, pineapples, tutti frutti. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, mouth coating, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Pineapples, pear drops, peat, fresh cut grass, white grapes, driftwood smoke. With water, driftwood smoke, white grapes, pear drops, sea salt. 
Finish: Long. Driftwood smoke, peat, pineapples, caramel, lemon sweets. 

Comments: 

This was surprisingly good. It’s whisky from a non traditional whisky country, but from a distillery that has operated for a long time. It’s like eating barbecued pineapples while sat on the back of a diesel truck. Layered and complex stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.