Requested By
David-Pitman
Speyburn Companion Cask
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DjangoJohnson
Reviewed December 10, 2023 (edited December 11, 2023)I purchased this a while back, around the time local stores were running out of Speyburn 10 and not restocking it. It's been a while since I've had Speyburn 10, but at $30 a bottle, you get an age statement scotch that doesn't break the bank, and while my memory of it is that it's not terribly complex, it was also quite drinkable. Again, these are memories, but it's one of those scotches where you get honey, pear and vanilla, and given the price, that's all you really need. It's a great comedown scotch. Aside from being low proof, it's inexpensive, so after you've had your best drinks of the evening and your palate is maybe a bit worn but you still want another dram Speyburn is what you break out. The Companion Cask carries no age statement but was $5 more than the 10 year, which I'm assuming is because this is a single barrel pick (at least, it had a little sticker on the side and a barrel number stating that it was a FW&GS exclusive). The nose is crisp, clear, like a ripe pear with a bit of bite still in it. And if memory serves, it's not terribly different than the Speyburn 10. Where the difference comes in is the palate. Oh, it's not terribly different (if memory serves), it's still got pear and honey and vanilla, but where it differs (to my mind's eye) is there's an astringency here I don't recall being present in the 10 year. Perhaps the age statement weans it out, perhaps this is over-oaked. Whatever the case, my first two pours a few weeks ago were so brutal that I put the bottle back in the cabinet for another three weeks with about a quarter bottle's worth of air in there, and the astringency tonight isn't quite as bad as it was then, but is still present. It's perhaps mellowing out and here now it taste of oak astringency, so perhaps there was something off in the barrel it was matured in since others here seem to have enjoyed this more than me. In any case, not terrible at $40 but definitely not a rebuy. I can only hope the local stores restock the Speyburn 10 at some point, as I'd like to taste that again. It's been maybe 4 years since I've had it and I believe my palate has changed in that time, so it'd been an interesting experience. Of course, it could also be like when you saw a movie or read a book as a child and you remember it as enchanting and then you re-experience it as an adult and hate yourself for letting the re-experience ruin the memories for you. Oh, well. We'll see.39.99 USD per Bottle -
LCannon57
Reviewed January 5, 2023This is a single barrel – Appalachian Barrel Select, #403. It’s soft, smooth, light and easy to drink. Sweet with notes of vanilla.Charleston -
Whiskeystache
Reviewed July 13, 2022Floral, citrus, light sweetness and some tobacco notes. Has a good nose. Has a little dryness to it, a little more honey sweetness would round it off well. Worth keeping a second bottle. -
Michaeldrinksbourb24
Reviewed December 6, 2021Beautiful balance between bourbon nuttiness, and scotchy herbaceousness. Sweet yet full of complex flavors. Great bottle for the price! -
Guitar_mann
Reviewed November 28, 2020 (edited December 28, 2020)Virginia ABC Single Barrel Store Pick. 46% ABV. Non-Chill Filtered. No added color. Finished in 1st fill Buffalo Trace Bourbon Casks. Color- Light Straw N - Stone fruit, apple, light alcohol, vanilla, faint smoke but no peat. P - Very leggy in the glass. Oily creamy mouth feel. Very buttery on the lips. Flavors of light fruit and apple jelly. F- Long spicy finish of baking spices especially allspice notes. Bright fresh cracked black and white peppercorns. Great lingering after taste. This specific bottle will be more difficult to find away from Virginia, but Speyburn is supposed to release these picks across the country through various ABC systems and stores. It is very light and flavorful for those who prefer less smoky and unpeated Scotch. The bourbon notes really shine in this NAS offering. I first had a pour of this for breakfast on a coastal fishing trip over a year ago. This is so fruity and approachable it is hard to pass up at the $40 price. I have never had the standard 10 yr so I don't know how it compares...but this is a winner.40.0 USD per Bottle
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