Edradour is from the Scots Gaelic Eadar Dhà Dhobhar, meaning “between two rivers.” This is an old distillery that makes the claim of being the smallest in Scotland, producing only eighteen casks per week (trust us – it sounds like a lot but isn’t, comparatively). They also claim to have the smallest stills and traditionally employ just three men. Somehow, they offer an extremely broad collection of drinks, likely meaning that the vast majority are of limited release and rarer than a hot day in the Orkneys. Fun fact: their current owner, Andrew Symington, is a Master of the Quaich. The Edradour 10 is the bedrock of their core range.
Distillery: Edradour
Region: Highland
Age: 10 years
Strength: 43%
Price: $54.99
Location: Pitlochry
Nose: Sandalwood, butter, marzipan, almonds, sherry
Palate: Butterscotch, milk chocolate, lemon blossom
Finish: Caramel apple, oak smoke, grass
Comments: Water is not needed, but a few drops adds some smoke on the finish. A distillery tour is a must if at all possible.
Adam – I get a lot of butterscotch in the palate. To me, the Edradour 10 has a broad taste, filling the mouth with multiple notes. It also has a little heat, pleasant because its brief. There are times when I swear the taste is going to evaporate on me for a moment, but then the finish kicks in like a guest late to the party. The Edradour is a well-rounded whisky for all seasons. I sip this and think of hills and lochs and grasses and – because it’s Scotland – rain. I would recommend this as a good introduction to highland malts for the price, at least if you can lay your hands on a dram. The distillery tour doesn’t sound half bad either, considering there are 30 different offerings available for tasting.
It’s like watching a snake charmer in a bazaar: you don’t want to keeping standing there but it is impossible to look away.
Meghan – Imagine you are a Sheikh relaxing with a drink in your tent as your caravan rests at an oasis. Despite the unlikeliness of finding Edradour in the desert, it is what you would be drinking. It is a unique scotch with a very exotic nose. Scents of butterscotch and sandalwood with some noticeable sweetness. It also brought to mind this perfume my mother sometimes wore called Opium. I really wanted the exotic nature to continue in the palate but mostly I got sweetness on the front and burning on the back. Watering helped the burn (I tend to be more affected by alcohol burn than others at Scotchology) but I was not able to eradicate it enough to find if there are deeper levels in the palate. The finish brought lovely flora/fauna notes with residual sweetness. The smoke is more of a new oak variety than peat but it works well with the overall sweetness. I am fascinated by Edradour but not sure if I can say whether I truly like it or not. It’s like watching a snake charmer in a bazaar: you don’t want to keeping standing there but it is impossible to look away.
