[48.0%・Bottled in 2013・Official Bottling・Limited Release]
Nose:
Mmmmm the nose is satisfyingly rich. Premium leather, dark chocolate brushed with balsamic vinegar sauce. Bright dark fruits poached to a sticky reduction. Wine cured apricots and soft raisins bringing a wee citrus edge. A combination of moist oak and lightly toasted wood chips with a touch of cinnamon spices, rounded by a lovely creaminess.
Palate & Finish:
Flavours burst open on your tastebuds. Chinese style simmered coca-cola with a few slices of ginger and hint of cinnamon, coated by creamy café au lait and milk chocolate notes. The classic sherry influence presents itself in a balanced manner, the raisin note is assertive but it manages to intertwine smoothly into the narrative. Spices excite but swiftly fizzle out; the oak adds to the weight but doesn’t dominate the conversation, something only shared amongst a small number of old whiskies..
The creaminess lingers in the finish with the dark fruits steadily giving a citrus edge in the background. Hints of brown sugar and burnt toffee to provide the slight sweetness that sticks between the teeth. It’s sweet, but not in excess, with a hint of tobacco and leather to make this a chewy drop, closes off with just a faint dose of dark chocolate bitterness.
Thoughts:
What a dram! The fragrance just becomes more and more alluring in the glass long after the last drop had been tipped onto the tongue. Salivating stuff.
☆☆ [Highly Recommended]
–Nicholas
WhiskNick 