Sometimes it’s a lot of fun to blog about hard to find, rare malts. But for people visiting a blog, reading a review about an impossible to get, or unaffordable, bottle… is hardly any fun at all. That’s why I’m always on the lookout for good quality drams, with amazing value. This Parkmore Barolo sits snugly in that category. A Highland Single Malt, 8 years old, with a promising finish on Barolo wine casks. And all that, for only 35 euro!!
From people close to the source I gathered that this secret Highland is in fact a Tomatin, and personally I think Tomatin and wine finishes go together like port and a cheese platter (this also applies to port aged whiskies though, like this stunning Ardmore for example). In other words, like a dream.
It’s also important to note that this might be a very fun bottle to gift a whisky beginner who’s already a wine enthousiast. As the wine from the cask this whisky aged in usually costs a fair bit more than the whisky in the bottle. A good Barolo is a treat for any wine lover and pairing whisky and wine should prove a fun one with this Parkmore Barolo.
So without further ado, let’s get into the tasting notes and see what layers of complexity a Barolo wine finish can add to a Tomatin single malt in today’s Parkmore Barolo review!
Tasting Notes: Parkmore Barolo
Stats:
Age: 8 years old
ABV: 46% (92 proof)
Distillery: Tomatin
Bottled by: Parkmore
Chill-filtered: No
Natural Colour: Yes
Nose:
On the nose the influence of the Barolo is clearly noticeable, adding an almost perfume like wine scent to this dram. There’s also plenty of raisins, vanilla, kardemom and nutmeg there. Adding both some spice, sweet and dried fruit notes to the nose. Freshly made apple compôte, sweetened cranberries and pancake syrup rounds it all off nicely.
Palate:
On the palate of this Parkmore Barolo I’m finding heaps of strawberry marmalade, fresh black cherries, more pancake syrup, and some apricot. Topped off pleasantly with some added layers of brown sugar, nutmeg and some delicate hints of charred oak.
Finish:
The finish is long, which is stellar for a whisky at this pricepoint. It’s filled to the brim with strawberry lemonade, confectionary cherries, and pleasantly biting tannings, with a dusting of white pepper and mellow hints of liquorice root.
Food Pairing:
This Parkmore Barolo will go beautifully with almost everything on a classic cheese platter. From fresh grapes, to figbread and ofcourse some fine aged cheeses. You can also very nicely pair this with a good quality custard for a lovely decadent dessert.
Verdict:
Going off my tasting notes you might think this is one of the best whiskies out there. But the low price does come at a cost, all the described flavours are pleasantly present. From red fruits, to oak influences and plenty of spice. But at the same time it does appear quite young, in the sense that all these beautiful layers do admittedly appear rather thin. That doesn’t mean that this is a bad whisky though, at the contrary.
While you shouldn’t compare this to a 15-year-old cask strength Blair Athol finished in wine casks, you can compare it to other whiskies in this price range. And in that case it sits head and shoulders above the rest. This is a perfect dram if you’re looking for an easy sipper, an affordable yet interesting gift, or an easy entry into wine finished whiskies. Either way, I highly recommend giving this one a try!