The Dark Oak is the sole travel retail exclusive whisky from the Lowland distillery of Auchentoshan. The bottling features whisky matured in three different cask types – ex-bourbon, plus ex-Oloroso and ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry. It was launched in 2021 when the previous range was withdrawn by the brand.
Auchentoshan (pronounced ock-en-tosh-an) is the town of Clydebank. Until the recent craft distilling boom it was the nearest distillery to Glasgow. It was founded in 1823, although records shown a distillery called Duntocher operating nearby in the early 1800s. It is currently owned by Suntory Global Spirits. The production capacity is 2.5 million litres per year.
Auchentoshan is unique amongst Scottish whisky distilleries as they triple distil every drop of their spirit. Elsewhere in Scotland the common practice is to distil twice. Triple distillation is more commonly associated with Irish whiskeys. Triple distillation produces a new make spirit that is lighter and more delicate in flavour and higher in alcohol. As a result, Auchentoshan has the highest strength of new make in Scotland at 81.5% ABV.
The Auchentoshan Dark Oak is bottled at 43% ABV and is available in selected airports retailers worldwide. It should cost around £50/ €58/ US$69 for a one-litre bottle.
Our Tasting Notes
The colour is deep amber and the nose is rich, dark and bold. Aromas of black treacle, prunes and dark chocolate lead the way and are quickly joined by flashes of coconut and sweet vanilla. Toasted nuts, green apple and raisin also evolve, as do dusty baking spices – think of cocoa powder, cinnamon and nutmeg especially.
On the palate this whisky feels syrupy and bold, There is plenty of drying oak and heavy spices upfront with lots of nutmeg, mace and cinnamon. Then some fruit comes in, which adds freshness and sweetness. Notes of confected raspberry, strawberry and icing sugar mingle with dark raisin, prune and orange zest. Further sweetness is provided by hints of marshmallow, vanilla paste and treacle tart.
Then a real deep oaky woodyness evolves and takes hold. This dries the whisky in the mouth and gives a tannic grip. An underlying note of old tobacco box note accentuates this. Hints of earthy ginseng root sit underneath, as do an intriguing hint of freshly dug potato covered in earth.
The finish is of decent length but becomes very drying and oak with a peppery heat. The orange zesty note holds nicely but the sweeter characteristics fade a little too quickly for our liking. This allows the the dryness and heat to linger.
What’s The Verdict?
The Auchentoshan Dark Oak is fairly simplistic as a whisky. It does what it does nicely – sweetness, woodiness and spiciness – but lacks any real depth and complexity for us. This would work well for someone wanting a decent and fairly priced sherry bomb, but it does not go quite far enough for us. The nose and palate are enjoyable, but the finish is a little flat. If your local airport has it on sampling, then please try it and make your own mind.
