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Edinburgh-based Scottish whisky broker and independent bottler Cask 88 have unveiled their second series of Scottish single cask whiskies, all finished in quarter casks to produce liquid with a more robust flavor profile. The Eighty Eight Series features small batch expressions from Bunnahabhain, Highland Park, Caol Ila and Bladnoch, and offers whisky enthusiasts the opportunity to explore the impact of cask size on the maturation of the whisky.
The first release in the Cask 88 Eighty Eight Series presents four limited edition whiskies from leading Scottish distilleries. A Bladnoch 27 Year Old (55.6% ABV; 70cl; £439/US$569.99) distilled October 1990, the oldest whisky in the series, was originally held in an ex-sherry Hogshead before being finished in an ex-sherry quarter cask for 9 months. A Caol Ila 9 Year Old (58.9% ABV; 70cl; £189/US$239.99) distilled December 2008, was originally held in a refill Hogshead before being finished in an ex-sherry quarter cask for 9 months. A Bunnahabhain 9 Year Old (57.8% ABV; 70cl; £119/US$239.99) distilled October 2008 was originally matured in a refill ex-sherry butt before being finished in an ex-sherry quarter cask for 3 months. A Highland Park 14 Year Old (54.8% ABV; 70cl; £189/US$154.99) distilled August 2003 was originally held in an ex-bourbon Hogshead before being finished in an ex-sherry quarter cask for 7 months.
Quarter casks, at one eighth of the size of a standard cask to hold whisky, are capable of holding approximately 50 litres of whisky each. Each quarter cask yields 88 bottles of whisky. “The smaller cask size maximises the contact between the spirit and the wood, theoretically producing a whisky with a stronger, more complex flavour,” said APAC Sales Director Patrick Costello. “Whereas the wider industry favours larger casks to produce whisky on scale, we wanted to select something a little different, and focus on producing small batch whiskies that excite the senses.”
The Eighty Eight Series is the second release of Scottish whisky independently bottled under the Cask 88 brand. The first bottling under the Cask 88 brand was a 45 Year Old Ben Nevis 1972 Single Malt from the Cask 88 Scottish Folklore series.
“We have high hopes for the Eighty Eight Series, in part because the number holds great significance for the business and our partners and clients in China, where we have an office and sales team,” said Patrick Costello. “The number 88 is the luckiest number in Chinese culture, bringing good fortune and prosperity.”
