Not a lot is given away about this one. It’s from Atom Labs (aka Master of Malt) and is an 8yo sherried Speyside. We’ve really liked the previous Atom Labs releases a lot, so this should be a belter!
Appearance: Dark honey gold, like ale. A viscous film coats the glass with medium quick-forming legs and a substantial swirl mark. Some teardrops form from the tide mark too.
Nose: Well, at first sniff I’m inclined to agree with the name. Chocolate, dried fruits, cherry lozenges, cinnamon and nutmeg. There’s also a more malty biscuit side to the nose like chocolate Hob Nobs. Very faint lemon barley sugar and sherry sweetness too.
Palate: Lovely oozy mouthfeel. More zesty than I’d have imagined from the nose. Lemon rind and some acidic notes. A couple more sips and the fruit elements start to emerge. Blackberries and the tarteness of rhubarb. Black pepper adds a spiced balance to the palate. This one grows on you sip after sip to be fair. It becomes more and more fruity with red and black berry, to a concentrated syrup level, quite sharp but nice, like fruits bursting in the mouth.
Finish: Short to medium in length. The syrupy fruitiness dies away first, leaving a touch of black pepper and cinnamon.
Overall: It’s not an amazing whisky, but it is very pleasant and for under £40 I’d be happy with my purchase. Lovely fruit forward whisky with a gentle spice backing group.
