Exceptional Cask Collection MMXXV Edition II, Antique Tawny Casks | F. Paul Pacult, Spirit Journal
MMXXV Edition II, Interleaved French & American Oak Antique Tawny Casks, 60.2% ABV
Independent evaluation by F. Paul Pacult, Spirit Journal, Wallkill, New York. Reproduced in full and unaltered, with permission.
Evaluation product: Exceptional Cask Collection MMXXV Series, Edition II, Interleaved French & American Oak Antique Tawny Staves, 60.2% AbV
Evaluator: F Paul Pacult
Location: Spirit Journal offices, Wallkill, NY
Glassware: Spanish copita
Mineral water: None Day 1/ Day 2: 20% dilution
Evaluation date/time: August 10 & 11, 2026
VISUAL
Color: Burnt orange/mahogany.
Clarity: Pristine, flawlessly clean.
OLFACTORY
Dryness/sweetness scale 1 (dry) to 10 (sweet): 2
1st 2 minutes: Much to my surprise the opening whiffs are nearly inscrutable, emitting only a distant scent of slightly overdone toast but then after a minute the aroma starts to unfold, offering more definable sweet and smoky fragrances of wood char, bacon fat and brown sugar.
5 minutes: By this juncture, the fragrance is full, round, tobacco-like and peppery as toasted, slightly sweet and smoky-seasoned scents abound, filling the nasal cavity.
10 minutes: The aromatics so richly active at the midpoint begin to decline a bit early at this point in my view, which I find disappointing given the depth of its appearance which implies a bolder character. An aroma that is slow from takeoff and then too quick to land might instill a sense of disappointment from a purchaser’s standpoint.
GUSTATORY
Dryness/sweetness scale 1 (dry) to 10 (sweet): 3
Entry: What I found lacking in the first and last olfactory stages is missing in the gustatory stage as the first tastes provide round, chewy, and pipe tobacco-like immediate impressions.
Midpalate: This critical juncture is opulent, rich and full of fortified wine-like character that’s concentrated in nature, as complex flavors of toasted marshmallow, caramel glazed popcorn and butterscotch headline the cast of dynamic and generous flavors.
Texture: Wow, this texture is unabashedly creamy, round, fleshy and oily as it coats the palate and throat.
Finish: This near-decadent whisky ends on a high note of plush, baked, brown sugar, cocoa and honey-like flavors that seem straight out of a bakery shop or a candy shop.
OVERALL
This is one of those rare whiskies that displays two distinct characters over two crucial phases – aroma and taste - that somehow redeems itself in the flavor and finish stages. What began as a perplexing experience concluded in a luscious, viscous manner, in which I ended up appreciating the cask-strength experience.
Day 2 Addendum
The addition of mineral water serves to lengthen and deepen the aroma and that effectively patches over what I felt was a clear shortcoming of the full-strength version. Therefore, the advice here is to recommend the additional of chemical-free room temperature mineral water to enjoy this chewy, dessert-like malt whisky at its fullest.
All that said, I didn’t perceive the degree of finesse and refinement that I did with the French Oak Meunier barrel offering, but this offering has its own notable charms.
LIKELY RATING on 1 to 5 Star Scale: 4 STARS/HIGHLY RECOMMENDED