This cask-strength whisky was distilled at Glenallachie and matured in Sherry casks for 7 year old. Un-chill filtered and natural colour.
When I see official tasting notes of ‘Bramble & Gunpowder’ I have to try that whisky, especially when it’s a whopping 66.3%!
Appearance: Light oak, almost orange. A thin swirl mark and that lovely corrugated film of many many medium legs.
The swirl mark eventually morphs into a string of beads and starts to ride into numerous short teardrops.
Nose: Definitely a higher strength whisky but the nose carries the ABV well nonetheless.
Strip cap smoke takes me back to being a kid and firing a cap gun as far as I could!
There is a berry sweetness balancing the smokiness, but it’s not solely sweet, it’s more vegetal like a hedgerow with aromas of nettle and grass.
The more I nose the less acclimatised I seem to become, the ethanol only grows! There’s an ice cream note in the mix too, a vanilla creaminess.
A unique nose and one that I really like.
Palate: A lovely mouthfeel, silky smooth. That smoke is immediately evident on the palate, along with sugary sweetness, lots of black pepper and the slightest drying.
Can you cold smoke a blackberry pie? I imagined this is what it would taste like.
The official ‘gunpowder’ tasting note is pretty spot on, not only in taste but also in sensation. It’s like hardcore popping candy!
For an eight-year-old, it’s got bags of flavour, is well-married and complex enough to keep me coming back time and again to explore everything on offer.
Finish: Long and lingering, this one is value for money! The cap smoke, black pepper and blackberry sweetness linger for an eternity. There’s still a slight dryness, but it’s negligible.
Overall: This is why I love cask strength whisky. Full-on flavour, unapologetic and insanely good for an 8yo.
At £45 this is just amazing value. I love the unique smoke notes and the supporting fruit pastry.
Exceptional!
