Sherry and Sherry Cask Whisky with Fernando de Castilla

Some of the most exciting whiskies of the moment are sherry cask aged, full of fruit cake and spice, but while these drams surge ahead, the sherries behind them remain something of a mystery. These can be some of the most complex and surprising of wines with flavours that can be astounding. Joining us from Jerez is Nano Piquero from Fernando de Castilla. A boutique winery in the heart of Jerez, Fernando de Castilla has a history in the region dating back to the 1800s. They originally began as distillers, and we are delighted to be trying some of their brandy on the night, before developing a specialism in the hedonistic delights of Pedro Ximenez and then in turn the wider family of sherries. Quality has always been a focus in the house and the Antique range represents some of the finest examples of sherry to be had. On the whisky front, we'll be sharing three drams from Glenburgie aged for a magnificent 30 years in three different styles of sherry cask. Glenburgie distillery’s whisky is seldom seen as a single malt, and long-aged examples are particularly unusual. The classically fruity character of the spirit is given weight and depth by those long decades in the cask, and this tasting is a rare chance to see what an impact some more unusual casks can have on a whisky with these examples all laid down on the same day, 5 September 1995.