Review 163: Sheep Dip Old Hebridean 1990

Ok, so this is my follow up to my previous review which was of the tasty standard release of Sheep Dip (where I try to explain the name "Sheep Dip"). This fancy "Old Hebridean" version is made from a vatting of three single malt whiskies, all distilled in 1990 or earlier. What's really fun about this Sheep Dip, is that these malts (incidentally Ardbeg, Dalmore, and Fettercairn) each matured for about ten years in their own casks (whatever those were... ex-bourbon, ex-sherry?) before they were all mixed together and put into newly charred oak for roughly another ten years. In this new oak the different malts had a chance to marry, but also to pick up a ton of new oak character. Will all the oak influence overpower the tasty older whisky, or do we have something special on our hands? Let's see... 

Sheep Dip Old Hebridean 1990

Color: Amber +2

ABV: 40%

Aroma Neat:
Dark Heather Honey, Soft Iodine-Laden Peat (yet sweet), Orange Marmalade, Sea Brine, Lemon Peel, Rich Oak (with roses...), Past-Ripe Strawberries (preserves), Caramel (some vanilla infused), Minerality, Musty Leather.

Really, really wonderful nose on this. Peaty in the gentlest way possible, with a lot of jammy fruit undertones.

Aroma Water:
Fudge, Creamy Vanilla Bean, Heathery Honey and Peat, Orange Peels/Marmalade, Currants, Strawberry Preserves (slightly), Seaweed/Iodine, Ripe Bananas, Astringent Tannins (witch hazel?), Cooking Green Apples, Light Brown Sugar Simple Syrup.

Less peaty, but more open and sweet with a few drops of water.

Taste Neat:
Orange Marmalade, Heather Honey, Phenolic Peat (sweetly), Barrel Char (lots, with fresh ash), Salty Sea Brine, Beach Bonfire, Creamy Vanilla, Peppery Cigar Tobacco.

Quite delicious. I'd say this is a very desert-like whisky, which is very well rounded out by smoky and savory peatiness.

Taste Water:
Peat, Fresh Oak, Barrel Char, Vanilla, Salty Brine, Iodine/Seaweed, Pepper, Honey Tea, Heather, Bonfire/Driftwood Smoke.

Peatier than neat. The level of iodine/seaweed in the peat makes me think more of Laphroiag than Ardbeg, though of course this is Ardbeggian peat.

Finish:
Soft Peat, Oaky Barrel Char, Wood Smoke, Cigarette Tobacco/Heavy Tar, Vanilla, Ground Pepper, Ashy Honey/Caramel.

Like a peat-infused unfiltered cigarette. Medium duration (I think higher bottling strength could have easily pushed this into the "long" category...).

Conclusion:
Rich, soft, peaty-preserved fruit nose.

Ashy, woody/vanillin palate with supporting peat and honey. Salty too!

Tasty, easy finish that is medium-dry and demands another sip (maybe it's a good thing that this is 40% ;-)).

Rating: 90/100

Certainly a lot of vanilla and char flavor was picked up from the new casks, but a deliciously pervasive yet delicate peatiness persists (thanks to our older Islay Ardbeg). This is accompanied by delicious richly sweet and fruity flavors from the Highland components (Fettercairn and Dalmore, the orangeyness almost certainly from Dalmore). This isn't the most complex whisky, but it's far from simple and is, more importantly, immensely satisfying. If you can still find it, buy it!

Josh