House of Hazelwood : A Minute to Midnight 45 Year Old

Tasting characteristics and notes for A Minute to Midnight 45 Years Old by House of Hazelwood

Tasting

Appearance
A very dark mahogany hue, bearing witness to a long and profound maturation.

Nose
Powerful, expressive and deeply marked by sherry. It opens on an abundance of candied black fruits evolving towards the sweetness of strawberry jam. Interwoven within are complex tertiary notes: deep spices, incense, hazelnut, old leather, cigar tobacco and majestic oak.

Palate
Warm, creamy and tannic. It unfolds comforting flavours of mulled wine, cinnamon sticks, dates, plums and dark chocolate. The whole is perfectly balanced by deep wood spices and a savoury touch. The finish is exceptionally long, slightly dry and spicy, leaving a gentle warmth that lingers and invites contemplation.

Pairings and tasting moments
Conceived as the ideal companion for the end of an evening, this spirit is best enjoyed during quiet, reflective moments. It is recommended to drink it neat, served slightly below room temperature in a tulip-shaped glass. The addition of a single drop of water can reveal an indulgent jammy biscuit sweetness while preserving its majestic structure.

Mixology
Due to its extreme rarity, great age and complexity, this exceptional product does not lend itself to mixology. It was designed to be savoured neat, without artifice.

An exceptional Blended Scotch Whisky, a jewel of Speyside by House of Hazelwood

The family heritage and excellence of House of Hazelwood
Launched in its current form in 2022, House of Hazelwood represents the private and exclusive collection of the Gordon family, the current owner. Rooted in Speyside around the historic Hazelwood House estate near Dufftown, this House stands out for its radical and heritage-driven approach. It draws on family stocks built up over nearly a century to offer ultra-premium blends of absolute rarity. Under the expertise of blender Eilidh Muir, House of Hazelwood breaks the mould by devoting itself almost exclusively to extremely aged blends, often over 30 years old. The brand embodies a philosophy of the long term, championing the art of blending at the highest level of maturity.

A Minute to Midnight 45 Years Old: The pinnacle of sherry cask ageing
From the prestigious Charles Gordon Collection, A Minute to Midnight 45 Years Old is a Blended Scotch Whisky of absolute rarity. This 45-year-old spirit perfectly illustrates the House's expertise in the art of blending and extreme maturation.

Designed as a true "sherry bomb", it is the result of a bold marriage between malts matured at length in sherry casks – bringing a rich, dark and intense traditional character – and very old grain whiskies that lend it a silky texture, volume and a captivating sweetness. Bottled at 58.6% vol., this spirit makes no concessions.

Its poetic name evokes the silence of midnight, a metaphor for cosmic time and the patience required to reach such a level of accomplishment after four and a half decades of ageing. Intended for seasoned connoisseurs and collectors, this ultra-premium blend stands as one of the darkest, spiciest and most complex expressions from the brand, celebrating the masterful interplay between wood, time and distillate.