A Scot on Scotch reviews Auchentoshan Three Wood Single Malt Scotch Whisky.
The story of Auchentoshan
Founded in 1817 as the Duntocher Distillery, Auchentoshan stands proudly on the banks of the River Clyde, to the west of the city of Glasgow. Established by John Bulloch, the distillery’s early years were beset with financial problems. Bulloch was soon declared bankrupt and the future of the distillery looked uncertain at best. Fresh hope arrived in 1834, when the distillery was purchased by John Hart & Alexander Filshie. They renamed it Auchentoshan and resumed production.
Like so many of Scotland’s distilleries, Auchentoshan has changed hands repeatedly. Between 1960 and 1969, it was run by the Tennents Brewery but they sold to Stanley P. Morrison, of Morrison Bowmore. Under his stewardship, Auchentoshan at last found some stability and it remains part of the Morrison Bowmore group today, albeit under the control of Beam Suntory Inc.
Auchentoshan is unique in Scotland as it is the only distillery to triple distil as standard practice, a production technique more commonly seen in Irish Whiskey. Triple distillation creates a light and delicate new make spirit.
Auchentoshan Three Wood Review
Often seen as a highlight of the distillery’s core range the Three Wood is matured first in ex-bourbon barrels before being transferred to ex-Oloroso then transferred again to ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry casks.
Bottled at 43% abv, it is widely available in the UK for a price of around £45.
Smell: Strong Sherry influence like raisins & sultanas, along with some fresher fruit notes. Some apple and pear. Even some berries. There’s also creamy vanilla and toffee.
Taste: More sherry with sweet honey and toffee. Cinnamon and dark chocolate with some orange zest throughout.
Thoughts: A price point of £45 means we’re not quite in bargain basement territory here, but neither are we talking crazy money.
It’s a decent whisky though and probably still the stand out offering in Auchentoshan’s core range.
Sadly, Auchentoshan is a brand that doesn’t often hit the spot for me. As a fan of bolder flavour profiles, I think the lighter spirit just isn’t really my style. The Three Wood works a bit better for me as the cask finishes add a bit of depth to the overall experience. It’s certainly the core bottling that I’m most likely to reach for.
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