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Tuesday, July 5, 2022

Kirkland 24 Year Sherry Cask Finish Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:
- $68
- 92 Proof
- 24 Years
- Speyside

On its face, this bottle is apparently a steal of a deal! I had heard murmurs about Costco selling a 24 year sherry finished Speyside Scotch, and I know in the past they've had some other very well-aged Scotches. But, when I wandered through the liquor aisle at Costco, which I do every time I'm there, I couldn't help but immediately grabbing one of these upon seeing it.

I mean, less than $70 for a 24 year old Scotch?!?!?  Throw in that it's matured in Sherry casks?!?!? That is a phenomenal value, without even taking a sip of the whiskey. Nowhere else are you going to find such age on a label and get it for less than $100, let alone only $70. In fact, I regret not buying a few more at that price, even if just to have them for gifts. But, I only grabbed the one, but I was very happy to have gotten the one I did.

The nose was all bright fruit.  I got a wave of raspberry and pomegranate, sweet and fragrant and bright. There was a light pepper spice on the nose as well, balancing perfectly with those bright raspberry notes. There was also a sweet crackery note on the nose, kind of like a graham cracker note.

Not unexpectedly, those bright fruits dominated right up front. After all, this whiskey spent 24 years getting to know those Sherry casks, so I knew this would be a fruit bomb. That raspberry dominated, but I also got a sweet and lightly tart cranberry note. Luckily, any tartness was balanced out by the sweet fruit notes as well as a natural honey sweetness.

Behind those Sherry notes I got a sweet tobacco leaf, providing a bit of earthiness while not diminishing its character. There was also a fleeting dried apricot note that I kind of wished were a bit more prevalent, and there was an underlying bread note, kind of like a hearty wheat bread.

The finish provided some much needed spice, with a mix of chili pepper and black pepper on the back end, lingering in my throat. But, make no mistake, that bright raspberry note continued to dominate throughout. 

While this was on the sweeter side for me, and while that raspberry note seemed at times to make this a one-trick pony, this was still absolutely delicious, and I frequently reached for this bottle when I wanted to scratch a particular itch. I'll certainly be keeping an eye out in that liquor aisle at Costco for any more of these well-aged releases at incredible prices!

Grade: B

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