Appearance: Light dull gold. A semi-viscous film forms, along with an erratic tide mark. Some beading forms after a while, along with a ripple effect around the glass, as opposed to distinct trails.
Nose: Damp cellar, mould and wet straw are the initial aromas I get. Cereals, raspberries, honey, a little vanilla, a big dollop of caramel, white chocolate and a mellow cream smell follow these. As with the other 10-year-old, I’d never guess this was a mid 50’s ABV whisky.
Very creamy coffee and also aromas of the very last traces of campfire smoke, ashy and faint. After a time the ABV actually starts to grow a little.
Palate: A nice oily mouthfeel. A slightly confused first sip: copper, lemon sherbert, some cream soda and a touch of spice. The second sip is more vegetal and with a touch of cough medicine thrown in, it’s a real mixed bag. There’s an odd flavour going on within the dram too, not one I’ve experienced before.
The spice grows continuously, starting as a light sweet spice and becoming black pepper and almost mild chilli.
After a time there is an emergence of subtle strawberries, to balance against the spice and vegetal notes.
Finish: Fairly short. The spiced strawberries and honey linger for a time. A nice chest warming too.
Overall: Not as nice as the 2009 10yo for me, but still very interesting and a great whisky to explore.
