Appearance – This Blended whisky is a damp straw in colour, it beads up on the tide line and slowly drops thick syrupy legs.
Nose – It’s a good ABV on the nose, and initially I get a lightly perfumed aroma, along with apricot jam on toast, and a dustiness that engulfs stoned fruits. Slowly red berries start to assert themselves, it’s a gently transition, and they bring with them a light bbq meat note, some royal icing sweetness, and the dustiness continues through from the beginning to end. As it’s sat for 20 minutes or so more toast and cereals come forward.
Palate – First off there’s a loverly syrupy mouthfeel, and the ABV is really good here. The red berries are here, with stoned fruits, but unexpectedly it’s gently spicy, it builds and is rather warming too, there is a loverly fusion of ginger, white pepper, almonds, cinnamon, and oak. Slowly it becomes sweeter, more syrupy, it’s quite elegant to be honest, and most would be hard pushed to pick up that it is a blended whisky, it’s been nicely married.
Finish – For me it’s the long side of medium, and nice and spicy, but not bitter spicy. I’m thinking dark chocolate, chilli’s, a generous helping of oak, coffee, and cigar leaves, it’s stays spicy the whole length of the finish too.
My thoughts – I came to this whisky with pretty much no knowledge of its background, I was aware of it as I’d tried a couple of Scallywag whiskies from Douglas Laing, which I enjoyed very much. And this whisky continues my feeling that when blended whiskies are done well they are hard to beat. This whisky has plenty of depth, a gentle development, and a lovely warming spiciness that has kept me interested to the end, I have rather enjoyed it to be honest.
Would I buy a bottle? – It’s a yes for me, it’s a loverly blended drop, and all at a cracking price, plenty good enough for me to enjoy.
Picture credit – The Whiskey Exchange.
