House of Hazelwood 2024 Collection Review
As you probably know, we’re partial to a wee dram here at Great Drams, and we’ve been fortunate enough to sample whiskies of all ages and flavour profiles from different regions not only in the UK and Europe, but across the globe as well.
If you’re a regular reader of our blog here on the site, you’ll know that I’ve a soft spot for family-owned distilleries. I know I’m not the only one, but there’s just something that appeals to me when you see a family-run business thriving. Add to that, the fact that it’s a whisky business, and you can see why I find it so appealing.
Why am I talking about family-owned whisky brands? Because today I’m reviewing the House of Hazelwood 2024 Collection for you.
Owned by the Gordon Family, who themselves are owners of William Grant & Sons, the whisky they produce comes from their own private collection, which the Gordon family have been storing for close to a century now.
Their third iteration might well be their most popular to date. This is the Great Drams review of the House of Hazelwood 2024 Collection.
House of Hazelwood 2024 Collection
Those with a passion for travel will find this collection very appealing. This collection draws inspiration from weird and wonderful destinations all over the globe. It’s a celebration of the free-spirited, adventurous side of the Gordon Family, and I’m very much here for it.
As this is a fairly large collection, I’ll keep each review brief and try to cover the basis for you. It’s hard work this whisky reviewing, you know?
If you’re a fan of American Bourbon whiskey, you’re going to love this expression.
A blended grain Scotch with a gorgeous deep, almost crimson treacle colour, it’s aged for 33 years and packs a real wallop at 57.3% ABV.
This blended Scotch grain celebrates all that is great about both Scotch and Bourbon. It’s Scotland meeting the South, and offers the perfect balance of sweet, woody, and slightly smoky.
On the nose that American oak punches you right in the face. You get it straight away, with plenty of vanilla notes in there, intertwined with warm buttery cinema popcorn, treacle sponge, and green olive vines.
On the palate, you get sweet candy notes, golden syrup, toffee apples, and more oak. There’s also a touch of bonfire smoke in there, coupled with candy floss. Imagine an autumn visit to the funfair.
The finish is lengthy and offers a thick and creamy mouthfeel. It lingers, leaving a hint of maple syrup, honey, and sweet toasted oak once more.
This single grain is really special. It’s a celebration of better times and is a throwback to the Scotch whisky industry in the early 1970s. 1972 to be exact. This whisky is 51 years old and celebrates a bygone era of the whisky distillery industry.
At 50.1% ABV, it’s deceptively smooth and has a gorgeous rich mahogany colour. It’s aromatic and complex, with sweet and woody undertones.
On the nose you’re instantly transported back in time. Think of wax candles and old book shops where leather and snuffed out candles dominate the senses. These notes quickly dissipate, leaving you with a gorgeously sweet aroma of muscovado sugar, a touch of smoked oak, and a sprinkling of burnt orange peel.
On the palate, the nostalgia trip continues. Here you’re taken to an old sweet shop as the sugary sweetness is apparent from the first sip. There’s rhubarb and custard sweet flavours here, along with gooseberry jam and a mixed berry compote.
The finish is medium in length, offering a surprisingly oily mouthfeel. Again, you pick up the sweetness, a touch of wood, and a bit of lingering smoke or cinder toffee.
Named in honour of the Silk Road, which was a major Eurasian trade route from the 2nd century BC until the 15th century, this silky smooth whisky is the perfect fusion of Scotland and Asia.
Toffee in colour, and coming in at 47.6% ABV, the whisky itself is 44 years old and makes the perfect accompaniment to a summer of winter dessert. It’s full of aromatic flavour and aroma and it’s so, so, moreish!
On the nose you get those Asian spice notes right away. There’s star anise, clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg all tied together with mint, honey, and a touch of apple. You’re suddenly taken from the spice markets of Asia to a backstreet tannery. Plenty of leathery notes here. Perhaps a whisper of oak, though your nose will really have to work to get there. But that’s part of the fun, right?
On the palate you get those aromatic Asian spices, complimented with menthol and honey. There’s almost a peaty, earthiness to this drop. It’s sweet yet astringent, leaving you with liquorice root and a hint of citrus zest.
The finish is brief yet powerful, with a syrupy mouthfeel here. Almost like honey and thyme cough mixture. There’s more spicey notes to finish, along with a touch of mint.
A Minute to Midnight is a stunning walnut brown colour and perhaps the most decadent dram you’ll ever sample.
Aged for 45 years and with an ABV of 58.6%, this is a whisky you might expect to enjoy on celebrations or the very specialist of occasions. This really is a sherry bomb. If you like sherry influences in your whisky, you’ll love this dram, it’s as simple as that.
On the nose as you might expect, you get those sherry cask influences immediately. There’s raspberries here, dates, prunes, figs, blackberries, and cherries. The tart fruity notes hit you straight away, though quickly give way to sugary strawberry jam aromas.
On the palate, more warm sherry flavours shine through, tied together with hints of burnt toffee and honey. There are more dark fruits, along with winter spices. It almost tastes like a mulled wine, and that’s no bad thing.
The finish is much dryer than you’d expect. You get grapes, winter berries, cinnamon, and a little vanilla oak char to finish.
The Hazelwood Highlander is pure Scottish Highlands in a bottle. One sniff of the soft amber liquid gold inside and you’re transported to a rugged Scottish glen.
This 33 year old whisky has an ABV of 45.8% and was limited to 203 bottles.
On the nose there are honey heather aromas with subtle mossy grassy influences. There’s a touch of fruit here and an oaky scent to it.
On the palate that sweetness really comes through, with honey and toffee flavours. These meld perfectly with ripe orchard fruits and apple and pear tart in a shortcrust pasty.
The finish is medium in length. You get the orchard fruits, a hint of moss, and a sweet barley sugar syrup.
At 47 years young, the Garden at Hazelwood celebrates the stunning garden at Hazelwood House, that has been tended to by the Gordon Family for generations.
On the nose, this light gold delight offers up notes of lavender and cooking herbs. There’s aromas of an autumn orchard just after a rainstorm. Definite notes of apples and pears here, though they’re subtle.
On the palate, those herbs really come through. In particular thyme, mint, and rosemary, all complimented by honey. Stewed apples and pear flavours make their presence felt here, with a drop of parma violets.
The finish is what you’d expect from a 43.7% ABV. It’s smooth and fairly lengthy, with a medicinal quality to it. Apples and herbs are the stars of the show here, with a little woodiness that lingers.
Finally, we have the Queen of the Hebrides.
This maritime delight celebrates the isle of Islay. As you might expect, this is a heavily peated dram that is not to be taken lightly.
Aged for 36 years and matured in American Oak, the whisky isn’t as harsh as you’d expect, coming in at just 43.4% ABV.
You want Islay? You get Islay with this dram. On the nose, this light golden coloured delight offers up aromas of cigar smoke and distant bonfires and charred embers. The smoke is balanced perfectly by citrus aromas and bacon saltiness.
On the palate the smoky character really strengthens. Here you get toasted oak, smouldering barbeques, lemon zest, toffee, and tobacco leaves.
The finish really draws you in and leaves you wanting more. There’s oak and smoked woodchips, a little toffee apple, and scorched tree bark to finish.
If you’re looking for whisky, or whisky-related info, be sure to head over to GreatDrams.com and take a look at some of the amazing multiple-award-winning whiskies we have available.
Whether you’re after a fruity Speyside, a peaty Islay, or anything in between, here at GreatDrams we’ve got you covered. We’ve also an abundance of whisky-related info for you to read at your leisure, so be sure to check out our blog.
Greg
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