McCarthy’s 6 Year Oloroso Cask 2023 Limited Release

American Whiskey Review : McCarthy’s 6 Year Oloroso Cask 2023 Limited Release

Distillery: Clear Creek Distillery.

Region: Oregon.

Age: 6 year.

ABV: 56.0%.

Cask Type: Oloroso.

Price: Courtesy of /u/dustbunna.

Color: 1.3, Russet/Muscat.

This whisky was reviewed blind courtesy of /u/dustbunna as part of a Twelve Fourteen Days of Christmas set. The note on this dram was “VII (Seven) Swans-a-Singing”.

This is the ninth installment of this year’s Christmas Countdown. You can find previous installments here.

Nose: You get a nice soft peatiness very akin to mesquite and barbecue potato chips. There are some savory and meaty notes here as well, all of which comes together like a rack of ribs that has been coated in a dry rub. A bit of iodine and spritz of lemon also show up.

Palate: Similar to the nose, the peat here definitely present but on the softer side of things. Lots of barbecue notes here for me. Barbecue potato chips, barbecue sauce, and dry rub ribs.

Finish: Medium in length. Grilled lemon, dry rub pork ribs, and a bit of grilled seafood.

Guess: Scotland. Islay. I’ve had a few Bunnahabhains with a lot of the BBQ chips note but my mind told me Caol Ila when I tried it first. I’ll roll with Caol Ila. 10-14 years of age. Ex-Sherry maturation. 50-55% ABV.

Reveal: McCarthy’s 6 Year Oloroso Cask 2023 Limited Release.

Conclusion: It’s been a while since I’ve had McCarthy’s and this one really showcases how good of work that the folks at Clear Creek have been doing. There is a definite profile and character here that is absolutely delicious. While having this, I jotted down that I would “be absolutely waxing lyrical about it with a few more years in the cask” and I still feel that way. A few more years and there’s a good chance it’ll pick up some additional depth of flavor beyond “barbecue everything” that would make this truly special. Still a really fun one to try, especially blind!

Rating: 81.

American Whiskey Review , Oregon Review , American Single Malt Review , Whisky Network Review

Scoring Legend:

  • 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
  • 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
  • 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
  • 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
  • 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
  • 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
  • 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
  • 50-59: Save it for mixing.
  • 0-49: Blech.

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