Distilled in 2010 and bottled by Dràm Mòr in early 2022, this Highland single malt was matured in a 1stFill Ex-PX Hogshead (cask 195).
Appearance: Old gold in colour. A thin film coats the inside of the glass when swirled. Many teardrops start to fall from the initial beaded tidemark around the glass. Long thin legs appear in the film after a while.
Nose: Again, the ABV is evident but, for a 54% whisky, is carried well. Heaps of sugar sweetness and raisins. Proper sweet shop feel here, a paper bag of chocolate-covered raisins in fact.
There’s a depth and richness to this dram, blackberries and plums maybe. It reminds me of scones with blackberry jam (leave it).
There’s a woody element in the mix too. like flat-pack furniture chipboard. Maybe even a smokiness.
Palate: A pleasant mouthfeel. Initially spicier than the nose would suggest, with black pepper and cinnamon. Then there’s also a sharper berry sweetness coupled with a whole nut dark chocolate note.
A slight oaky drying appears as the dram is consumed, nothing off-putting though.
There’s a nice burst of fruit flavours: Strawberry and plum mostly.
Underpinning all the other flavour layers is cake batter vanilla, like when it’s still being mixed.
Finish: Medium to long. The spice elements last the longest, along with the sharper fruit flavour and a buttery note. As the dram is consumed the spice grows and grows.
Overall: For my taste, this is a banger of a dram. The ABV is spot on, and the flavour profile and balance are just right too.
