The House of Hazelwood is a premium collection of Scotch whiskies blended malt. It has been created by William Grant & Sons, which has been operated by the Gordon family for much of the last century. The collection is named after the family home, Hazelwood House, which is located in Dufftown - the unofficial whisky capital of the Speyside region.
The bottlings were originally created for family consumption at special occasions from some of the company's oldest and rarest stocks. It was only recently decided to expand this out to bring these fine super-premium whiskies to whisky consumers.
The House of Hazelwood features a rare selection of blended malt, traditional blend, single grain and blended grain whiskies. These are split into two ranges - The Legacy Collection and The Charles Gordon Collection - and use stocks spanning nearly 70 years of production by William Grant & Sons.
The diverse set of whiskies show different facets of the Gordon family's industry - first and final casks, historical working practices and remarkable places. Each whisky is individual and can never be repeated. All are created in small batches and are designed to represent points in history that will provide references for future whisky generations.
Our tasting notes
House of Hazelwood 46 years old 'Spirit of Scotland'
This traditional blend was first created in 1994 by the Gordon family to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the oldest recorded reference to Scotch whisky. This appeared in the Exchequer rolls of 1494. Since being blended it has been maturing for a further 28 years in cask. It has been released at 43.6% ABV and there are just 528 bottles. Each will cost £1,200/ US$1,450.
The colour is deep gold and the nose is rich, sweet and decadent. Aromas of baked apple, butterscotch sauce and cinnamon mingle with candied orange, earthy wood spices and a tiny whiff of background peat smoke. On the palate this whisky is silky and velvety with lovely initial notes of baked peach, golden syrup and butterscotch. These are joined by stewed apple (or is it apple crumble?) and plenty of dusty and earthy spices - think of cinnamon, mace and pinches of clove and ginger powder.
Further fruity notes come through in the form of candied citrus (orange especially but also a hint of lime) and apricot jam. Extra depth and complexity is added by that whiff of underlying soft peat smoke from the nose and this gives an antique feel with a suggestion of old cigar box. The finish is long and vibrant - the fruity and sweet elements fade to leave the warming dusty spices and faint smoke to linger.
House of Hazelwood 56 years old 'The Long Marriage'
Another traditional blend that features whiskies distilled in the mid-1960s. These were blended together just three years later and have since been maturing in a single re-fill ex-sherry butt for over half a century. It is one of the rarest bottlings in the House of Hazelwood collection and is bottled at the natural cask strength of 48.7% ABV. There are just 288 bottles with each costing £4,000/ US$4,850.
The colour is mahogany and the nose is rich and luxurious. Initial aromas of dark chocolate, candle wax and orange oil rise from the glass and are quickly joined by treacle, caramel and antique furniture. Deep aromas of cedar and sandalwood join a good pinch of dusty spices also. On the palate this whisky is incredibly complex with a number of nose sitting together very well - think of caramel, chocolate liqueur, freshly ground coffee and hints of black treacle, menthol and clove mixed with a drip of orange oil, cocoa powder and a hint of gingerbread.
The menthol becomes more prominent with time and tends towards eucalyptus. Dusty and warming spices develop also and give a distinct savoury characteristic, as do notes of cedar and sandalwood, candle wax and a drip of linseed oil. The finish is prolonged and complex. The savoury notes dominate and give a distinct antique feel - imagine freshly wax polished old furniture.
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