Orphan Barrel Castle’s Curse Single Malt Scotch Whisky Review

In a whiskey market that has become absolutely inundated with “special” and limited release whiskeys–although many are bourbon–in recent years, it can be hard to know exactly how the perception of a company like Orphan Barrel has evolved. They were instrumental in the mid-2010s establishment of the concept of high-priced limited releases, but with so many others on the market the Diageo series doesn’t really always attract headlines as it once did. Perhaps this is actually for the best in some respects, though–at the very least, it presumably keeps the MSRPs from climbing into the stratosphere as the Orphan Barrel series continues to hunt for rare and unusual releases across all dimensions of the whiskey world. Most recently? They’ve returned to Scotland once again for Orphan Barrel Castle’s Curse, a 14-year-old single malt scotch whisky expression from Teaninich Distillery.

Teaninich is not a particularly well known name, especially among the extensive Diageo library of distilling companies, though like so many scotch distilleries it has a rich history that stretches back to 1817. Shuttered and reopened on multiple occasions, it has primarily provided its malt whisky for blends over the decades, being considered an integral component in flagship Johnnie Walker blends in particular. Few of its malts have ever been released on their own, however, making Castle’s Curse a rare opportunity to taste Teaninich’s spirit in its most elemental form. The label of this release, meanwhile, centers the spirit animal of the Scottish Kelpie, a supernatural shape-shifting “water horse” that mythologically was associated with the Scottish coast near the distillery.

This release was matured for 14 years in European oak, and bottled at a respectable 47.4% ABV (94.8 proof), with an MSRP of $175. So with that said, let’s get to tasting this rarely encountered vintage from Teaninich.

On the nose, Castle’s Curse is immediately on the sweet and fruit-forward side, with a character that is equal parts verdant and ripe. I’m getting a lot of baked orchard fruit, suggesting apple, peach and pear tart, along with malt suggesting browned biscuit and lighter crackery tones. Honeyed sweetness gives way to delicate spice, with a little clove and licorice rounding things out. The fruit is the main attraction, with vanilla and significant sweetness.

On the palate, we get some more reprises of those notes: I’m getting sweet anise spice and a little more peppery character, along with assertive orchard fruit, especially apple and apricot jam, along with a little bit of mint. Honeyed tones provided moderate sweetness, enlivening the fruity character. There’s no real peat presence to speak of, nor does the oak contribute in a big way to this flavor profile beyond lending some gentle spice tones. Overall, this is just a very pleasant and easygoing malt with nice sweetness, lots of fruit and flourishes of spice.

At the end of the day, this makes for an Orphan Barrel expression that is perhaps less bold than many of them, but still a pleasure to sip on. The asking price is maybe a bit high in comparison with some similarly aged malts that are easier to come by, but for a chance to sample well-aged malt from a distillery with 200 years of history but no commercial brands, it would likely be a worthwhile experience for scotch whisky geeks in particular.

Distillery: Orphan Barrel (Teaninich Distillery)
City: Alness, Scotland
Style: Single malt scotch whisky
ABV: 47.4% (94.8 proof)
Availability: Limited, 750 ml bottles, $175 MSRP

Jim Vorel is a Paste staff writer and resident beer and liquor geek. You can follow him on Twitter for more drink writing.