A Fine Christmas Malt 2020 19yo

You’ve made it. You’ve gotten through arguably the worst year in living memory and made it to December. Christmas is a little over three weeks away and a brand new year is just around the corner. Thank fuck for that.

Now, with Christmas looming I thought December 1st would be a good time to review A Fine Christmas Malt 2020 from The Whisky Exchange. After all, I had the first dram from my That Boutique-y Whisky Company advent calendar this morning so I can now officially embrace the festive spirit (No pun intended. Honest.). This is the third annual Christmas Malt release from the folks at TWE, and this year it is a 19 year old blended malt, bottled at 44.5% and limited to 1,918 bottles.

Although this is a sherry matured whisky, I absolutely cannot bring myself to use ‘Christmas Cake’ in my tasting notes. I simply won’t bow down to the power of suggestion, so let’s see what else I get from it.

A Fine Christmas Malt 2020
19yo Blended Malt
The Whisky Exchange
1,918 bottles
44.5% ABV
£74.95 here

Nose: Figs, plums, nectarines, brown sugar and manuka honey give way to darker notes of Terry’s Chocolate Orange, malt loaf, cacao powder, and dusty oak. Very inviting.

Palate: Starts with buttered pastries, Sticky Toffee Pudding, and butterscotch, along with caramelised walnut and pecan nuts. Stewed apricots dusted with cinnamon, and a sweet liquorice note are complimented with a drying oakiness.

Finish: Dark chocolate, mocha, orange oils, and firm oak.

Overall: Very much a Christmas-y dram, and one to enjoy while watching festive TV or reading a book next to the fire during these long December nights. It’s definitely rich and robust, but those dark notes are balanced with citrus, stewed fruits and sweet desserts. Thoroughly enjoyable, well priced given the age, and a bottle that will easily end up in your recycling by Boxing Day given just how moreish it is. And I managed not to use ‘Christmas Cake’ as a tasting descriptor after all…