James Eadie - Whisky for a Favored Few
James Eadie
Whisky for a Favored Few
To some it may seem a tad too early, but last Tuesday at 10AM I was confronted with an array of single malt whiskies from the House of James Eadie. A momentous task lay ahead, but in the knowledge that I was doing this purely for my customers, I lifted my glass and proceeded to taste through 10, 11, 12, 21 and 26 year old whiskies. The range of distilleries included Ardmore, Blair Athol, Aushroisk, Cambus, Cameronbridge and Caol Ila. It was like taking an early morning hike through the Highlands of Scotland. All that was missing was a plate of Kedgeree and a Haggis.
Over the last few decades Scotland's distilleries have been bought up by the big boys - Diageo and Suntory, Dewars and Chivas. There are less than 20 independent distillers left, but the accessibility of great whisky is still relatively easy. And this is because of the emergence of independent bottlers. Douglas Laing and Gordon & McPhail are two of the most well known. James Eadie is less well known outside of Scotland but the family history dates back to the earliest days of whisky production. Back in 1827 James Eadie brewed beer, and as we all know, whisky starts its journey as fermented beer. So it was no surprise for the young (24 year old) James Eadie to begin blending some of his fermented and distilled beers into whisky. At one point the Eadie family owned over 600 pubs through which they sold only their branded beer and whisky. They were the original 'Whisky Barron'.
Jump ahead to modern times and Rupert Patrick is now at the helm of a re-invented James Eadie. Patrick was Commercial Director at Diageo, Managing Director of Jim Beam international, and Export Director of Ian Macleaod Distillery. Not a bad resume if you want to restart your family's empire.
Patrick now uses all those connections to source fabulous, aged whiskies from some of the great names in Scottish Whisky lore. My task was to taste them all. Of the whiskies I tried, I chose the following:
Ardmore 10 yr. Distilled 2010. Bottled 2021. Wood = Refilled Bourbon Barrel. $78.00
Built in 1898 and mainly known for providing the malt in Teacher's whisky. This was a deliciously light, peated whiskey with a very gentle note of smoke that added a touch of spice and heat. It was bottled at cask strength - 60.4% ABV.
Caol Ila 10 yr. Distilled 2008. Bottled 2018. Wood = Refill Bourbon Barrel. $88.00 SOLD OUT
The Caol Ila is a single malt distilled on the island of Islay. My notes read: delicious. Lovely. With a drop of water becomes soft, almost hypnotic. It does have a hint of peat and very gentle, creamy vanillans.
Auchroisk 12 yr. Distilled 2007. Bottled 2019. Wood = 1st fill Bourbon Barrel. $94.00
You can really notice the influence of the beer and malt on this one. Great spices - baking predominantly, touch of orange skin, lively vanillans. Deep golden hue.
Cameronbridge Single Cask 21yr. Distilled 1997. Bottled 2019. Wood = Refill Hogshead. $110.00
You taste the age and the barrel on this one. Rich, unctuous, fruit forward flavors. Pale gold in color, harmonizes with the floral and tropical yellow fruit palate.
It may be too early for a Christmas gifts, but the importer only had a few cases of each of the whiskies -in fact, as we tasted them the Cambus 26 yr whiskey was all sold by another rep. I got my hands on a couple of cases of mixed bottles. Once they are gone, that's it folks! So, be it for a special gift to someone else, to your self, or just for the hell of it, grab a bottle or two and try tasting them at 10AM!