Nose: Lots of sherry, sultanas, raisins, dark fruit cake, cinnamon and clove. Palate: Semi-sweet arrival with heaps of stewed fruit (figs, dates, plums), nuts, and a little cocoa. There is not a lot of development and reduction did not do much. At this age the whisky is narrow in profile but what it presents is good. Finish: Medium/Short. Lighter fruit (apple, grape) as the darker fruitcake flavours receed. There are some grassy notes and a little milk chocolate in the aftertaste. Clydeside Distillery was founded in 2016 and production began the following year. It is owned by Morrison Glasgow Distillers Ltd. which is associated with the independent bottler Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers (but the two are separate companies). The distillery is located in the Pump House, a refurbished historic building next to the river Clyde. Their first whisky was issued in 2021 and they now have several expressions in the core range. The distillery has an interesting visitor centre that highlights the history of Glasgow and industry on the Clyde, and they offer a range of tours. A tasting is part of the basic tour and it features four of their whiskies, of which this was the second. This “Sherry Cask” expression is not available for sale but is offered to show the character of their spirit when it is matured for around 3 years in ex-sherry casks (the type was not disclosed but I’d guess it was a combination of medium and sweet sherry). The result is about as close as you can get to a generic un-peated, sherried whisky character. I preferred this to the Bourbon Cask expression which was the first on the tasting card, but only just. You need to remember that neither of these whiskies is something the distillery would sell – they are specifically designed to show how their new-make spirit responds to different types of cask, and they do that job very well. Tasted at Clydeside Distillery, 2nd April 2025 “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)