Old Perth Launches Limited Edition Amontillado Cask Expression

Here’s something rather interesting that’s just landed from Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers – they’ve gone and done an Amontillado finish with their Old Perth range, and I’ve got to say, it’s about time someone explored this territory properly.

What we’re looking at here is a limited edition blended malt that’s bottled at a proper 52.8% ABV and priced at £58. Now, before you roll your eyes at another sherry cask release, hear me out – this isn’t your typical Oloroso or PX job. Amontillado is a completely different beast altogether, giving you that drier, more savoury character thanks to its dual maturation process – first under flor, then oxidatively.

Graeme Mackeddie, their Master Blender, pretty much nails why this works when he talks about that “nutty elegance” and structural restraint you get from Amontillado casks. It’s a smart move, really – takes Old Perth somewhere unexpected while keeping it firmly in sherry territory.

The process here is fairly involved: they’ve started with Speyside single malts (and I love that many are from distilleries still using worm tub condensers – that’s proper old-school stuff), matured them in American and European oak sherry butts plus some component from their Solera system, then re-racked the lot into first fill Amontillado casks for nearly three years of finishing at their Aberargie warehouse.

The tasting notes sound spot on for what you’d expect – hazelnuts, almonds, dried apricot, amaretti biscuit, with those subtle oxidative tones coming through on a dry, nut-forward finish. They’ve kept it natural colour and non-chill filtered, drawn from nine hogsheads and six sherry butts.

Worth noting that Old Perth’s been having a decent run lately – just picked up four medals at the 2025 International Wine & Spirit Competition, including silvers for their Cask Strength and 12 Year Old expressions.

It’s available across UK, EU and selected international markets now. Definitely one to try if you’re curious about how Amontillado wood plays with Speyside character.