Distilled back in 2008 and bottled in 2020, after a 3 to 6-month finish in Port casks.
Appearance: Auburn. Bulmer’s cider orange. Oozy thick film turning to thick legs. Very pleasing look.
Nose: Not much going on generally. A faint nose, probably due to the ABV, this suffers in the same way as other 40% whiskies that I’ve tried. Everything is watered down and ‘distant’.
Confectionary sugar. Plum and orchard fruits. There are some leather notes lingering faintly too.
Palate: Quite a thin mouthfeel, no real body. A touch of spice, black pepper and the sweeter notes of sugar, blood orange, lemon rind and foam sweets.
There’s an unpleasant acrid note lurking in the background. It’s not dominant, but being there detracts from the taste.
Finish: Short. Spice and blood orange, some light confectionary sugar and foam sweet notes linger, but only for a very short time.
Overall: No thanks. 40% just isn’t my thing. No depth, punch of real character. I’ll forget this quickly.
