Review #195 - Stranahan's Sherry Cask
While many American single malts are made using traditional American casks (newly charred white oak) for aging, several distilleries are also employing different cask styles. Some of these mimic the casks used in single malt production in other parts of the world, especially Scotland. Here's one example: Stranahan's, out of Denver, Colorado, is using ex-Oloroso sherry casks to finish one of their single malt bottlings.
It's aged at least seven years, which is a solid age statement for an American single malt - makes sense, considering that Stranahan's is one of the more well-established distilleries making this spirit style. We also get a preferable ABV of 47%, above the standard/entry-level strength of 40% to 45%.
Stranahan's Sherry Cask
USA - Single Malt
Current Locally Available Price: USD 79 (2024)
Age Statement: 7 Years
Strength: 47% ABV
Cask Makeup: Oloroso sherry cask finish
Details: Batch 11
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 6 months; bottles at 100%, 70%, and 60% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Very fruity - tons of red fruits like cherries, strawberries, some blood orange, and then red apple skins. There's a sweet baking component, too: chocolate, cinnamon, caramel, and a bit of malt. With time, oak becomes stronger, and there's a sharp citrus fruit scent.
Palate: A medium mouthfeel, with strong malty chocolate, decent oak spices, and dark, candied red fruits. The oak is adding cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg, and we get red apples and raspberries first, before strawberry and grapefruit arrive. A bit of a fruit bomb, really; later, anise spice and some raw almond flavors can be found.
Finish: Medium length, with lots of fresh fruit: apple skins, strawberries, and tart cherry. There's a cinnamon note that almost brings a spiked apple cider flavor in combination with the fruit, and we get hints of grain and sugary vanilla later; there's still a decent malt note, and some dark oak at the end.
Final Note: A nice sipper - very solid, and very strong sherry influence with the plentiful fruits across the whole tasting experience. It still has that malty backbone that comes across strongly in a lot of American single malts, but the malty chocolate notes aren't overpowering like they can be in other whiskies. Value is alright - not the cheapest, but this product has a nice quality to it, especially if you enjoy sherry-finished whisky.
Our Average Rating: 7.0 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 6.53
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