Cadenhead’s Creations Celebration
The Art of Blending| Independent Bottlings
Natural goodness
Creations No More
The Cadenhead’s Creation range is no more. A sad end to a series that may have passed you and many others by. Its legacy was one I wanted to celebrate with a recent tasting I hosted online, where we opened up six bottles from the range and tucked in.
The evening turned into a celebration of the best kind. A new appreciation for many not only of the Creations range, but blended malt and whiskies in general. The single malt snobbery was left at the door and any preconceptions were soon erased. The outcome was an own goal in that now there are others out there looking out for other Creation releases. Even so, I felt it was worthwhile to bring you my thoughts on six whiskies and encourage you not only to explore the range, but blended malts and whiskies in general.
Our friends at Whiskybase have the most complete list of the Cadenhead’s Creations range available. Although it might not be complete as there was never really focus or emphasis by Cadenhead’s on the range. When the general outturns were revealed, everyone (including staff) focused on the big names and/or biggest age statements. These were golden days at Cadenhead’s as the warehouses delivered consistently great releases. The fact there was a tasty blend lurking among the glamour bottlings was often lost. The Whiskybase list is also divided up by the distilleries where we know the component parts of a recipe and as you can see there is the promise of huge variety.
“For years blenders have recognized the value of malt whisky, giving their blends character. And now, consumers are catching on to malt, too. Yet it is inconceivable to think of Scotch whisky without the blends”
The Creations range debuted on 27th March 2013, these were more innocent times. A 21 year old, Robust Smoky Embers, kicked off proceedings and was followed up with sporadic releases until 2019 when the curtain came tumbling down. So, why did the Creations range fail – or did it fail at all?
A good question, and something we debated on the evening. There’s no escaping that the age statements across the range were impressive and very affordable. Many of these were single cask experiments, possibly odds and ends vatted together in a warehouse, with the emphasis on mystery and fun; not the basis of a sound commercial venture. While outturn numbers were never revealed to the public, you can ascertain from the age statements involved, and the mention of a single butt or other cask, the release numbers were not huge, which takes us back to the commercial aspect. Releases or concepts such as these don’t grow on trees and time costs. What may have taken decades to develop in terms of supporting a range of releases, would have quickly been eaten up by a bottling schedule.
The market is single malt focused when it comes to smaller outturns and releases. Blends are normally mass produced and mass marketed. The Cadenhead’s Creations range fell somewhere in-between and enjoyed a cult-like reputation and following. And eventually, all cults come to some form of standoff or climatic end.
Then, there are the names such as ‘light creamy smoky’, ‘light fruity sherry’ and so on. These don’t attract attention, despite saying what it offers on the bottle. People seem to enjoy ridiculous names and lavish overindulgences (see the SMWS) to adorn their bottles. Personally, I couldn’t give a bottle of Jura what it’s called. And while we’re in the realm of bottles I’ll just add that I love the bottle shape of the range and cork – that harks back to another era.
Ultimately, I don’t want to focus on the why or what, I’m here to enjoy and celebrate. I’d rather have a range or label that shone brightly and existed for a brief time than not at all. A moment of brightness is worth decades in the shadows.
Within these restrained bottles, complete with old school labelling, reside some marvellous whiskies, I promise. Starting us off is an 18 year old, bottled in 2017. My thanks to Haddyscouser for sourcing this bottle for the tasting, with the other bottlings coming from my own collection.
Score: 5/10
Average. In a good way.
TL;DR
Perfect as the opening step into the Creations realm
Review
18yo, Light Creamy Vanilla, Batch 3, 44.6% ABV. Vatting of 2 pre-blended butts from 1998 that were married together.
Now sold out, but was around £55
Nose
Very light and engaging, orange zest and egg shells. Obviously, vanilla followed by pine wood, pencil shavings, lemon peel and old school pineapple cube sweets. Quite sugary and yet at the same time there’s a muskiness present.
Palate
A pleasant mouthfeel and the spiky influence of grain on the finish. Apples, a hint of chocolate and some nuttiness. This balances well with the caramel and a surprising level of fruitiness but also white mushrooms.
Score: 8/10
Something Special.
TL;DR
3 single malts come together to dramatic effect
Review
22yo, Light Fruity Syrupy, Batch 1, 45% ABV. Contains Blair Athol, Ben Nevis and Tomintoul. Vatted together in 2007, left to mature for 12 years.
Now sold out, but wasn’t that expensive
Nose
Very pleasant with icing sugar and pineapple chunks. A tangy marmalade, peach stone, spent tobacco and a creamy vanilla. Chopped logs drying by a fire and barley sweets. There’s the threat of Parma Violets fleetingly that thankfully never develops with the wood spice providing some seasoning.
Palate
This takes me back to the old blends that were just refined and immediately enjoyable. Stone fruits and orange zest on the finish. Wine gums, green mango and some green peppercorns. Very moreish and a fine example of blending. Malty, with a touch of smoke lingering into the finish.
Score: 8/10
Something Special.
TL;DR
An orchestra of malts in fully harmony
Review
27yo, Fruity Honey Toffee, Batch 1, 43.6% ABV. Features Aultmore, Braes of Glenlivet, Bruichladdich, Glen Grant, Glenlivet (Minimore), Strathisla and Tamdhu. Married together in 2006 and bottled in 2019.
Now sold out, but wasn’t expensive
Nose
Straw with a touch of smoke and a floral almost rose-like aspect. There’s a strong natural sweetness with honey and tinned golden syrup. Marmalade, spent ginger, shortbread and smoked ham. Quite a dynamic and playful nose that also offers density. Breaking up that weight are some fruity notes with redness attached with cranberries and raspberry.
Palate
This is rich and layered with caramel, peanut butter, shortbread and a pleasing jammy element. Fruit loaf, raisins and nutmeg. Malty and very moreish, this is what the Creations range is all about. Tangy, elements of rust and nutty, it’s quite the trip and multifaceted.
Score: 7/10
Very Good Indeed.
TL;DR
3 single malts come together to dramatic effect
Review
31yo, Light Fruity Syrupy, Batch 2, 50.1% ABV. A blended malt from a single cask that was married together in 2004 and bottled in 2019.
Now sold out, but wasn’t expensive
Nose
A touch of smoke, apricot jam and marzipan. It comes alive in the glass, like your best mate that is always entertaining on a night out. Vanilla obviously, but also almonds, smoked Orkney cheddar and some orange peel. A heather honey with more emphasis on the sweetness. Linoleum, porridge oats, hessian sacks and some sugary pineapple. Quite the trip.
Palate
Beautiful as it cascades across the palate. Sunshine in liquid form. A touch of cask bitterness towards the end and some pepperiness, but before all that, get the deck chairs out on the front lawn to bask in the glow. If I’m being picky, it burns out too quickly, prompting you to pour another all too soon. Prior to fading, we have melon, the zing of tangerines which quickly becomes stewed marmalade, and then apricot.
Score: 5/10
Average. In a Good Way.
TL;DR
Age isn’t everything and is only a number
Review
44yo, Light Fruity Sherry, Batch 1, 43.4% ABV. Featuring Glenfarclas, Glenlivet and Invergordon. These have been married for a final year in a fresh sherry hogshead, then bottled in 2018
Now sold out, but was well-priced given its age.
Nose
More pungent sherry than anything we’ve had so far. A more modern sherry style with red berries, peeling leather and polished wood. Nuttiness, honey and freshly-sawn planks of wood. Toffee, red velvet cake, fresh raspberries and brass rubbings.
Palate
Surprisingly muted and I’ll say now it didn’t impress the group. There’s a rawness to the wood that is suggestive of bourbon in places. Some strawberry, sawdust but it’s very flat. Coconut, walnuts, dried fruit and some chocolate. Honey and oats.
Score: 7/10
Very Good Indeed.
TL;DR
A practice run for the recent Campbeltown Loch release?
Review
10yo, Light Creamy Smoky, Batch 1, 60.5% ABV. Featuring whiskies from Kilkerran, Longrow and Invergordon. Bottled in 2018.
Now sold out, but was cheap as chips.
How do you follow such an age statement? Well, you can only go to Campbeltown and bring some of the peat fire into the mix. Our final contender is Light Creamy Smoky, which was bottled in 2018 at 10 years of age as a Batch 1 release. I tend to think of this blended scotch as a precursor to the recent Campbeltown Loch bottling, featuring whiskies from Kilkerran and Longrow.
Nose
Fresh wood, salty and coastal in harmony. Surprisingly no burn whatsoever, despite the strength and age of this. Limescale, white chocolate, vanilla and smoked almonds. A touch of opening a new tin of paint. Bacon crisps, cream soda, pine cones, new chalk. A fun nose that’s for sure.
Palate
not hugely rich or detailed, but what this dram does is sing the component parts in unison. A pleasing oozy texture as well. Boiled sweets
The Dregs
Kicking off with the 18 year old, the butts could be labelled as a bit knackered! However, it allows the spirit to come through. I do think there’s a more noticeable grain component here that ideally needed balanced out with a more active cask. Still, I’d gladly reach for this as an easy-going dram with just enough character.
So often, I’ve faced impressive age statements that just don’t deliver much. In single malts they can often be tired, or overcome by the wood. The 27 year old is a lovely concoction of malt distilleries wrapped in a blanket of time and patience. There’s a real voyage of discovery to be had within this bottle. Just a couple of pours and I’m already reaching for another, but trying to hold back as it’s something I’ll return to again and again to enjoy and appreciate. So good and with real poise, which you might not expect at 43.6%, but this whisky has it.
Arguably lacking that extra bit of shine in the comparison, the 31 year old has plenty going for it yet just fades as the finish line approaches. In what is a very high-quality field, there’s no shame in such an outcome and even with a 7, this is a very good whisky that you’ll enjoy thoroughly.
The 1973 44 year old comes with a big age statement and therefore expectation attached. It might surprise you that it wasn’t well received by our group on the night. Possibly, those expectations were inflated with the numbers attached, but I’d also suggest just the sheer standard of whiskies we were experiencing were more to blame. Returning to it at a later date for this article, in a solitary confinement approach, it didn’t reveal more appreciation. The depth of age just isn’t present and the finish (which seems at odds with the Creation approach generally) just creates a more modern sherried whisky that lacks the intricacies you’d envisage.
The grand finale was a trip to Campbeltown via Invergordon. For historians, you’ll know that there is strong historical link between the northern grain distillery towards Springbank and especially Kilkerran, which uses stills that were once stationed at Invergordon. This dram received widespread appreciation by the group and I often think of it as a practice run to the recent Campbeltown Loch. It has a little bit of everything and is dangerously drinkable.
So, the takeaways from all of this is that the Cadenhead’s Creations range didn’t get a fair shot or appreciation at the time. That’s just the way of things nowadays. But whisky gives us that option to reach back in time. New discoveries from old relics or dusty bottles in weird retail locations. The group departed on a wave of good whiskies and chat. Propelled forward with the knowledge that blended malt and blended whisky can be a wonderful thing and deserves more appreciation.
Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. DM
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