The name Spios, which is Scots Gaelic for ‘spice’, beautifully evokes this whisky’s origins: it has been matured solely in casks that previously held American rye whiskey, a spirit known for its distinctive, spicy characteristics.
The Whisky Exchange
Appearance
Lemony yellow in colour, it has a thick swirl line on my copita glass, with an all over film and eventually faint thick legs.
Nose
Initially I’m getting plenty of dry forest walk, with sweet lemons, white pepper, wood wax and faint botanical aromas.
More time and the botanical aromas are moving more towards toasted tea cakes, and raisins, almost creating a smokiness. Cream soda is comes through now, with icing sugar, with dried apricots.
Palate
The mouthfeel is thin-ish, and instantly spices come through. Black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, and vanilla pods. In the background I can taste darker heavier notes waiting to come though.
More time and indeed black coffee and tobacco leaves make the palate. There are chocolate coated raisins, cask char, and bitter lemon now, with guava and grapefruit pith. I haven’t looked at the cask for this dram yet, but I’m definitely getting spicy dark fruits.
Finish
Medium in length, with cereals, a little dunnage, and red apple skin with fruit cocktail syrup from the can. The wood lasts well I have to say.
My thoughts
I came by this dram as a consequence of a conversation i had on twitter. I was saying that back in the 1980’s i considered Glenmorangie whisky to be very good, but hadn’t tasted anything from them in over 20 years. My Twitter whisky friend Paul very kindly offered to send me a couple of Glenmorangie samples to try.
I enjoyed trying this dram, the flavours are quite nice, but. Well i came to realise that i’m in a completely different place whisky wise these days compared to the 1980’s, and so is whisky, and this has a huge impact on my thoughts on this whisky. Though this a nice whisky, the aromas and flavours are nice, though the mouthfeel is on the thin side, but the kicker for me has to be the price, at £75 i can pick up a cask strength, natural coloured and non chill filtered independently bottled whisky, and at the moment price wise that’s where i look for new bottles first.
If someone bought me a bottle of this i’d enjoy it, no doubt, but i wouldn’t buy one for myself.
A big thank you goes out to my whisky friend Paul – @MaltWhitson on Twitter, for sending out these sample. Follow Paul and indeed us on Twitter using the buttons below.
Bottle image – Diffords Guide.
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