Edradour 12 years Caledonia

Score: 71

Edradour 12 Year Old Caledonia is a rich, sherry-forward Highland malt that wears its heart on its sleeve. Bottled at 46% ABV, non-chill filtered, and finished for 4–5 years in Oloroso casks, it’s a small-batch release named after Dougie MacLean’s beloved song “Caledonia”—he even helped select the cask. The nose is a full-on sherry bomb: candied fruits, toasted nuts, orange zest, and a touch of leather. On the palate, it’s thick and indulgent, with dark chocolate, ginger, burnt toast, and a splash of rancio funk. The finish is medium to long, slightly drying, with red berries, oak spice, and bitter chocolate trailing off gently. In its club tasting, Caledonia placed 3rd out of 6, a solid podium finish. It impressed with its boldness and texture, though some found it a bit too heavy-handed or one-dimensional. Still, it stood out for those who love their whisky dark, rich, and unapologetically sherried. It’s not trying to be subtle, it’s here to wrap you in a velvet curtain of fruit and spice and maybe hum a few bars of its namesake tune while it’s at it.