• Home
  • SMWS
    • The SMWS Advent Calendar 2023!
    • SMWS New Wave Mavericks!
    • The SMWS Advent Calendar Countdown 2022!
  • Special Offers
  • New Arrivals
    • Master Of Malt
    • The Whisky Exchange
    • The Whisky Barrel
    • Tyndrum Whisky
    • Cognac
    • Gin
    • Rum
    • Vodka
    • Brandy
    • Tequila
  • Whisky Diary
  • Whisky Related
    • List of Malts
    • LAPHROAIG LIVE 2015
    • LAPHROAIG LIVE 2014
  • Other Spirits
    • Cognac
    • Gin
    • Rum
    • Vodka
    • Brandy
    • Tequila

Malthound

Whisky & Spirits Blog | Compare Buy Enjoy

  • Bluesky
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Campbeltown
    • Glen Scotia
    • Hazelburn
    • Kilkerran
    • Longrow
    • Springbank
  • Highland
    • Highland: A – F
      • Aberfeldy
      • Balblair
      • Ballechin
      • Ben Nevis
      • Ben Wyvis
      • Blair Athol
      • Brora
      • Clynelish
      • Dalmore
      • Dalwhinnie
      • Deanston
      • Edradour
      • Fettercairn
    • Highland: G
      • Glen Albyn
      • Glen Garioch
      • Glen Ord
      • Glencadam
      • Glenesk
      • Glengoyne
      • Glenlochy
      • Glenmorangie
      • Glenturret
      • Glenugie
      • Glenury Royal
    • Highland: H – M
      • Hillside
      • Inchfad
      • Inchmoan
      • Inchmurrin
      • Lochside
      • Millburn
    • Highland: N – Z
      • North Port
      • Oban
      • Old Pulteney
      • Royal Lochnagar
      • Stronachie
      • Teaninich
      • Tullibardine
  • Island
    • Arran
    • Highland Park
    • Isle of Jura
    • Ledaig
    • Scapa
    • Talisker
    • Tobermory
  • Islay
    • Islay: A – I
      • Ardbeg
      • Big Peat
      • Bowmore
      • Bruichladdich
      • Bunnahabhain
      • Caol Ila
      • Finlaggan
      • Ileach
      • Islay Whisky
    • Islay: J – Z
      • Kilchoman
      • Lagavulin
      • Laphroaig
      • Octomore
      • Port Askaig
      • Port Charlotte
      • Port Ellen
      • Smokehead
  • Lowland
    • Auchentoshan
    • Bladnoch
    • Dunglass
    • Glen Flagler
    • Glenkinchie
    • Inverleven
    • Kinclaith
    • Ladyburn
    • Linlithgow
    • Littlemill
    • Rosebank
    • St. Magdalene
  • Speyside: A – F
    • Speyside: A
      • Aberlour
      • Allt-A-Bhainne
      • An Cnoc
      • Ardmore
      • Auchroisk
      • Aultmore
    • Speyside: B
      • Balmenach
      • Balvenie
      • Banff
      • Benriach
      • Benrinnes
      • Benromach
      • Braes of Glenlivet
      • Braeval
    • Speyside: C – F
      • Caperdonich
      • Cardhu
      • Coleburn
      • Convalmore
      • Cragganmore
      • Craigduff
      • Craigellachie
      • Dailuaine
      • Dallas Dhu
      • Dufftown
  • Speyside: G – Z
    • Speyside: G
      • Glen Elgin
      • Glen Grant
      • Glen Keith
      • Glen Mhor
      • Glen Moray
      • Glen Spey
      • Glenallachie
      • Glenburgie
      • Glendronach
      • Glendullan
      • Glenfarclas
      • Glenfiddich
      • Glenglassaugh
      • Glenisla
      • Glenlivet
      • Glenlossie
      • Glenrothes
      • Glentauchers
    • Speyside: H – O
      • Imperial
      • Inchgower
      • Knockando
      • Linkwood
      • Loch Dhu
      • Longmorn
      • Macallan
      • Macduff
      • Mannochmore
      • Miltonduff
      • Mortlach
    • Speyside: P – Z
      • Pittyvaich
      • Pride of Strathspey
      • Royal Brackla
      • Speyburn
      • Speyside
      • Strathisla
      • Strathmill
      • Tamdhu
      • Tamnavulin
      • The Singleton
      • Tomatin
      • Tomintoul
      • Tormore
  • World Whiskies
    • American
    • Australian
    • Canadian
    • Dutch
    • English
    • Finnish
    • French
    • Indian
    • Irish
    • Japanese
    • New Zealand
    • South African
    • Swedish
    • Welsh
  • Blended Whiskies
You are here: Home / Darkness! / Tasting Notes: Maverick Drinks Latest Beasts – Darkness! (Part 2)

Tasting Notes: Maverick Drinks Latest Beasts – Darkness! (Part 2)

May 12, 2014 by Gary Leave a Comment

Just some of the Darkness range!

Just some of the Darkness range!


Maverick Drinks has gone over to the dark side with the launch of their latest range – Darkness! – a range of exceedingly dark single malt and single grain whiskies with an enormously punchy, unashamedly brazen character!

Commonly known as “sherry monsters”, these beasts are sourced from Scotland’s top distilleries.

With their amazing dark, brooding colour, attained through the use of small, specially crafted sherry casks for finishing, the range is the first of its kind.

The dark colour is achieved by storing the drams for 3 months in specially coopered 50-litre first-fill sherry casks.

The small size of the casks allows more wood contact with the whisky, increasing both dark colour and rich flavour dramatically.

These casks have previously been used to produce some of Spain’s top sherries, including Pedro Ximénez – the sticky, sweet dessert sherry, and Oloroso – the semi-dry, nutty delicacy.

These casks bring a deep colour as well as wonderful sherry flavours such as Christmas Cake, rich spice, prunes, raisins and dates.

The Darkness! range includes spirit from Scotland’s most prestigious distilleries. Notable bottlings include the delectable 21-year-old Ardbeg, finished in Oloroso sherry casks, a 16-year-old Clynelish, and a sublime Macallan finished in a Pedro Ximénez cask.

To finish off the look of these monsters, stunning labels have been designed, hand-illustrated by Tom Lane – designer of the very popular Bicycle Playing Cards, as well as the artwork for the accompanying book for Heston Blumenthal’s Fantastical Feasts.

Darkness! is available from Master Of Malt.

Take note of the bottles total – these ‘monsters’ will be gone in a moment! (The Ardbeg already has!)

Tasting Notes – Darkness! Benrinnes 15 Year Old Pedro Ximénez Cask Finish

94 bottles


Darkness! Benrinnes 15 Year Old Pedro Ximénez Cask Finish
Nose: Rich caramel, oak wood, luscious fruits.

Palate: Sweet cake mixture, plump raisins, fruits.

Finish: Nutty, peppery spice which, mixed with the sherry sweetness, is joyously long.

Overall: A classic mixture of flavours combined to give a morish sherry hit

50cl, 53.3%
£59.95

Tasting Notes – Darkness! Clynelish 16 Year Old Oloroso Cask Finish

94 bottles


Darkness! Clynelish 16 Year Old Oloroso Cask Finish
Nose: Dried fruit including a citrus tang, fudge.

Palate: Sweet and chocolatey with caramel.

Finish: Spicy, rich sherry flavours, slight tanin at the end with added pepper.

Overall: Another warm, sherry infused delight, the fieriness of the dram is well tempered by the Oloroso Cask sherriness!

50cl, 54.9%
£74.95

Tasting Notes – Darkness! Ardbeg 21 Year Old Pedro Ximénez Cask Finish

sold out


Darkness! Ardbeg 21 Year Old Pedro Ximénez Cask Finish
Nose: Peat, smoke and soot, scents of apples.

Palate: Smoke peat and woody embers with fruit sweetness.

Finish: Lingering sweetness wins over but doesn’t defeat an ebbing peat.

Overall: A marvelous dram! The mixture of sherry and smoky peat is a revelation – I can see why this sold out so quickly!

50cl, 40.1%
£119.95

Many thanks to Master Of Malt for the samples.

Related posts:

Default ThumbnailTasting Notes: Maverick Drinks Latest Beasts – Darkness! (Part 1) Default ThumbnailThe Whisky Exchange Releases An Exclusive Loch Lomond – Sampling The Bountiful Orchard! Default ThumbnailSampling Seven Seals Whisky New ‘Zodiac’ Releases – Drams That Are Out Of This World! Default ThumbnailSampling “Dram o’ clock” (Cask No: 9.222) – An SMWS Whisky That’s A Tasty, Gentle Giant Of A Dram!

Powered by YARPP.

Filed Under: Darkness!, Master of Malt, Maverick Drinks, New Arrivals, News, Sampling, Whisky tasting

About Gary

Search & Compare best prices on whiskies throughout the land.

All can be yours - just send money!

Sláinte

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

SMWS Top Ten Bestsellers

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society




Browse SMWS Low Stock Whiskies

Browse SMWS Whiskies Arranged By Distillery (A - Z)

SMWS – New Whiskies!

The Whisky Exchange

Distilled: Whisky News – Summarised

Distilled: Whisky News - Summarised

Malt Whisky Regions

Scotlands Malt Whisky Regions

Calendar Club

Pour & Sip



Pour & Sip

Drams to your door!

Krystal Web Hosting

Recent Posts

  • Sampling Kilchoman’s 20th Anniversary Cask Series – Classy And Sublime!
  • Tormore is BACK with its first official release under Elixir Distillers!
  • DADS DESERVE DRAMS! Here’s some whiskies that could be a nice fit!
  • Sampling That Boutique-y Whisky Company New Range – I think I’ll have another!
  • “Full-throttle coal scuttle” – The Latest Whiskies From The SMWS!
May 2014
M T W T F S S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031  
« Apr   Jun »

Favourite Sites

  • Drink Supermarket
  • drinkaware.co.uk
  • Master of Malt
  • SMWS
  • The Whisky Barrel
  • The Whisky Exchange
  • The Whisky Wire
  • Tweet Tastings
  • Tyndrum Whisky
  • Whiskystats

Tags

10 Year Old 12 year old 15 Year Old 40% 43% 46% 1980 Ardbeg bottle bottled bottling bourbon Bowmore Caol cask casks distillery douglas Glen Glenfarclas Glenlivet Glenmorangie gordon Highland Island Islay laing Laphroaig Lowland Macallan macphail malt range rare refill scotch sherry signatory single Speyside Springbank strength whisky year years

Search

Archives

QR Code

QR Code for malthound.co.uk - scan the image with your smartphone & access malt whisky on the move!

· Whisky & Spirits Blog | Compare Buy Enjoy · About · Contact · Privacy Policy · Terms & Conditions · Copyright © malthound 2025 ·