House of Hazelwood : The Tops 33 Year Old

Tasting Notes and Characteristics of The Tops 33 Years Old by House of Hazelwood

Tasting

Appearance
The Tops 33 Years Old displays a deep mahogany hue, with dark ruby and sometimes purplish highlights depending on the light. This intense colour comes exclusively from the long interaction between the distillate and the Spanish sherry casks, as the House adds no colouring whatsoever.

Nose
The nose is rich and generous, dominated by notes of treacle, toffee and caramel that immediately establish a deep, sweet character. This dominant profile is enriched by nuances of black fruit, maraschino liqueur, candied rose petals and coffee beans, bringing a floral and fruity complexity that balances the darker accents of leather and toasted wood.

Palate
The palate opens soft and sweet before giving way to a dry, lively oak that structures the whole. The whisky then unfolds in successive layers of dried fruit, warm oak and a light smoky touch, leading to a refreshing finish marked by a tangy, sherbet-like sensation that pleasantly lingers on the palate.

Pairings and Tasting Occasions

No official pairing has been communicated by the House for this cuvée, but its intensely sherried profile, marked by treacle, coffee and oak, naturally lends itself to pairing with chocolate desserts, particularly dark chocolate or ganache, whose bitterness balances the whisky's sweetness. Coffee-based or dried fruit preparations can also extend the aromas already present in the glass. Given the richness and rarity of this expression, it is best enjoyed neat, in a tulip or Glencairn-style glass, with the option of adding a few drops of water to open up the bouquet without diluting its density.

Mixology

The Tops 33 Years Old is an exceptional expression, bottled at cask strength: we recommend savouring it neat, without any additions, to preserve the integrity of its sherry, fruit and oak aromas developed over thirty-three years of maturation.

The Tops 33 Years Old: the Pinnacle of Speyside Sherry by House of Hazelwood

House of Hazelwood, Guardian of the Gordon Family's Treasures

House of Hazelwood is a Scotch whisky collection launched in 2022, born from private stocks accumulated over nearly a century by the Gordon family, owners of William Grant & Sons and iconic distilleries such as Glenfiddich, The Balvenie and Girvan. Rooted at Hazelwood House, the family residence near Dufftown, at the heart of Speyside, the House draws on casks long preserved in traditional dunnage warehouses. House of Hazelwood stands out for its complete freedom from release schedules, with each expression bottled only when deemed to have reached its aromatic peak. Operational leadership is overseen by Jonathan Gibson, Marketing Director, under the guidance of the Gordon family, who continue to steward this unique heritage.

The Tops 33 Years Old, a Blended Malt Whisky Born from the Finest Sherry Casks

The Tops 33 Years Old is a blended malt Scotch whisky embodying House of Hazelwood's distinctive selection philosophy. Its name refers to a precise blending concept: the "tops" designate the most remarkable casks in the inventory, those whose aromatic quality far exceeds the average. This expression thus brings together the House's finest Spanish sherry casks, selected for their exceptional richness and balance after more than three decades of maturation.

The blend exclusively combines malts from Speyside distilleries, aged in first-fill and refill Spanish sherry casks, with no vintage stated, the age of 33 years corresponding to the youngest component in the blend. Each bottle, with a capacity of 70cl, forms part of an ultra-premium micro-series within the Legacy Collection. The Tops thus stands as a celebration of Speyside and a tribute to the art of blending, acclaimed by specialist critics.