Sherry cask influence.... update

I had set out to proof or disprove a theory that I had postulated.

I wanted to show that the notes that are supposedly from the ex content of a cask were actually coming from the wood, not so much the wine, sherry or port. 

I had it all figured out. I had a strategy! 

• Buy new make highland park (To be done)
• Buy American oak ex bourbon matured highland park (To be done)
• Buy a sherry matured highland park (To be done)
• Buy a virgin American oak matured barley whiskey from the USA. (Done)
• Buy the same spirit but than new make (Done)
• Buy a cask and age my own new make spirit over time! (In progress)

Compare all these and than come to a conclusion! 

I had it all figured out! Had the information I needed from highland park after pestering them for weeks. They send me a list of which dram matured In what kind of cask. I had spoken to the blenders of Compass Box and asked their  input, which I got! 

Then I noticed the Bruichladdich laddiemp3 bottles which I ordered last year! It hit me! You nerd! I had the comparison in needed sitting in a box for over a year! I could taste port, sherry and bourbon matured (not finished) side by side! Jim and Adam had given me the tool I needed to proof (or disproof) my theory! So I watched the webcast again of the online tasting! Tasted and Nosed.

I was ready to come to a conclusion! Yes I was ..... I was .... until one night I looked in my bookcase (it holds books too) and spotted the rum-cask matured Bruichladdich dram I had bought via online auction quite by accident. Why not open this dram and have a wee taste! 

WHAM!! OMG!! What the f&ck was that! The notes in this baby are totally different than anything I had tasted ever! I came to a crashing halt in my quest to proof or, now, disprove that the previous content had no influence. But f&ck! After tasting this beautiful dram I can throw that theory out of the window! Previous content does have influence in a way I thought I could disprove! Now I no longer can! Or can I?

Well, next month I will be on Islay hopefully tasting the Syrah matured bruichladdich laddiemp4! That should add to my knowledge base and hopefully give me more info on my quest! 

Look for me in the background of the Bruichladdich laddiemp4 YouTube webcast! I will be the tall guy standing next to the giant!! If they let us in that is ;)