The First Editions Authors’Series Cragganmore 30 Years old 1989 53% Refill Sherry Butt, Cask No.HL17400

30年陳釀、53% 的力道，Sherry butt 的濃郁果乾感，一喝就知道不一般。

為什麼選它？
1) 長時間在 refill sherry butt 熟成 -> 乾果、無花果、黑朱古力層次厚；享受老桶真實風味。
2) 53% 酒精度但圓潤平衡 -> 木質單寧支撐味道，而非搶走靈魂；入口有厚實質感。
3) 單桶限量 -> 稀有度和收藏價值，喝的不是品牌，是一次獨特表現。

侍酒師私房筆記：倒入杯中先是葡萄乾、蜜餞無花果的香氣，隨即翻出香料皮革與雪松；中段轉為太妃糖、焦糖和微苦朱古力，尾段帶煙草、柑皮與暖香料。建議醒20分鐘或加少許水，會打開更多香料和柑橘層次。

場景化配餐指南：香港的冬日晚餐後，與好友在私廚邊品邊聊；或配成熟芝士、黑朱古力與烤肉，當作餐後重頭戲。

降維打擊對比：比起市面上過度標榜年份的大牌，這支酒以單桶身份提供更直接、真實的 sherry 桶印記——收藏味道而非名牌溢價。

酒廠與釀製：Cragganmore 的蒸餾水源與麥芽風格，配合 1989 年入桶的 refill sherry butt，讓麥芽香與陳年橡木交織出濃郁但不壓人的陳年風貌。田野、泉源與長期穩定低補桶影響，成就這種成熟而深刻的個性。

Soul Hook: A rare Speyside tale—30 years in refill sherry butt, bold, concentrated and unapologetically complex.

Why choose it?
1) Deep cask maturity -> delivers layered dried fruit, toffee and dark chocolate that modern bottles seldom reach.
2) High ABV, balanced oak -> intensity without harshness; carries spice and leather with velvet weight.
3) Single-cask, limited release -> collectible provenance and true expression of Cragganmore’s sherry-aged side.

Sommelier’s Notes: This is aged whisky that still breathes. On pour you get immediate sultana and fig, then cedar, tobacco and a sweep of candied orange. Mid-palate expands into molasses, brown sugar and cocoa; the oak tannin gives structure rather than bite. At 53% it rewards a splash of water or 20 minutes in a wide glass to unlock secondary spice notes.

Occasion (Pairing Guide): Perfect for after-dinner conversation in a private dining room, paired with a good dark chocolate or a platter of aged cheeses. Equally at home beside a late-night roast or as the finale to celebratory meals.

Competitive Edge: Compared to mainstream releases, this single cask 30-year offers a rare concentration of sherry influence and provenance at a fraction of museum-piece hype — for collectors and serious drinkers who prefer nuance over label.

Winemaker/Producer Notes: Matured exclusively in a refill sherry butt (Cask HL17400) from the 1989 fill, this release emphasizes longevity and subtle re-fill wood influence. No heavy re-char; the spirit’s character led the maturation, producing a polished but unmistakably sherry-tinged profile.

Specification

• Alcohol %: 53%
• Decant Time: 20 minutes
• Taste: dried fruits, raisin, fig, toffee, dark chocolate, baking spice, oak, vanilla, leather, tobacco, nutmeg, orange peel
• Food Matching: 70% dark chocolate, Mature cheddar or aged Gouda, Dried figs and toasted walnuts, Smoked duck or roasted game, Blue cheese (Stilton), Spiced nuts and caramelised desserts
• Grape Variety: Not applicable ,

Winery

Cragganmore 蒸餾廠位於 Speyside，擅長以細緻麥芽和清冽水源打造層次感十足的威士忌。本款來自 1989 年入桶的 refill sherry butt，長年在桶中慢慢打磨風味，突出果乾、香料與橡木的平衡。

Cragganmore Distillery — a Speyside name known for elegant, complex spirits. This release showcases their single-cask patience: spirit matured in a 1989 refill sherry butt (Cask HL17400), emphasising long, balanced interaction between oak and fruit without heavy re-charring.