Dram Review: Dark Valley Lark Raven’s Rest

[60.3%・779 Days Old・Bottled in 2016・Dark Valley Bottling・Single Cask Release of 32 Bottles] Nose: Heavily sherried but tilted towards the meaty side of things, it’s thick but perhaps a tad burdensome; black pepper, squid ink, gun powder and dark chocolate all in the mix.  There is a hint of earthy peat smoke with the oak gradually…

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Whisky Review: The Macallan Edition No. 1

  Style: Light Sherry and Spicy Nose: A quick strike of matchsticks brings us to a musky mist over brown sugar and dried (still unmistakably Macallan) sherry fruits. Slip of Balsamic vinegar over subtle walnuts. Spice hiding rather deep with the malt. Palate: Timber spices lashes out unexpectedly on the palate. On hot glowing tracks…

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Dram Review: Octomore Edition 02.2 Orpheus

[61.0%・5 Years Old・Bottled Circa 2010・Official Bottling・Limited Release] Nose: Immediately immersive, instantly transforming the setting to a cowshed with a peat fueled campfire burning away in the background.  There is a certain milkiness to it, and a certain madness as well, black forest cake splashed with tar and ink.  Oak splinters, pepper and coal smoke working…

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Dram Review: Lark The Revolution Release RR 09

[69.3%・3 Years 8 Months Old・Bottled in 2017・Official Bottling・Single Cask Release] Nose: Sweet sugary cream and french vanilla, oomph of peat fire giving an ashy, herbal vibe with some gunpowder sulphur lurking in the background, sandstone and minerals also in the mix. Palate & Finish: Sticky orange flavoured chocolate and a brush of cupcake icing as…

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Whisky Review: SMWS G13.1 Chita “A Complete Revelation”

Style: Sweet and Peppery Nose: A sweet and spicy opening. Incredible amount of white pepper scattered with herbal and minty side touches. Solid sweetness anchor nicely in the middle, caramelized bananas and mandarin citrus. Going slightly creamy, delicious vanilla marshmallows and white chocolate. Chalky oak slowly emerges towards the end. Massive and immensely enjoyable nose.…

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Whisky Review: Ardbeg Supernova 2015 Committee Release

Style: Smoky and Peaty Nose: Citrusy spices aroma buzzing on the nose. Slightly tight and quite dry. Seaside minerals twinkling alongside with mossy peat. Light peppermint hue, lemon peels transfigure into subtle orange drops, the sweetness is rather soft and buried underneath with the malt. Palate: A rather herbal and sooty entrance on the palate.…

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Dram Review: Limeburners Cask Strength Directors Cut M230

[59.5%・NAS・Bottled in 2017・Official Bottling・Single Cask Release of 202 Bottles] Nose: Slow-cooked prunes conveying that acidity across as the peat remains almost perfectly concealed.  Thick strawberry jam and lemon preserve as a lace of earthy smoke faintly wraps around.  Brandy flaming away as the Christmas cake is set ablaze, and a pot of black tea brewing…

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Dram Review: Lark The Revolution Release RR 10

[68.6%・2 Years 11 Months Old・Bottled in 2017・Official Bottling・Single Cask Release] Nose: How marvellous, marshmallow, crisp apples, honey and lemon.  The bourbon cask influence is sublime.  Sanded wood desk at a carpenter’s workshop. Palate & Finish: Vanilla leads the way and brings along generous dose of tropical fruits, syrup poached apples and milk chocolate.  Sandalwood with…

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Dram Review: Limeburners Cask Strength Heavy Peat Barrel M225

[61.0%・NAS・Cask No. M225・Official Bottling・Single Cask Release of 183 Bottles] Nose: Dark chocolate, vanilla essence from charred oak staves laced with icing sugar.  Coarse rock salt, quite an oomph of peat smoke providing a perhaps fiery foreshadowing, heavily peated indeed by Australian standards.  Ground flannel seeds as notes of freshly plucked fruits slowly come on. Palate…

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Dram Review: Limeburners Peated

[48.0%・NAS・Bottled Circa. 2017・Official Bottling] Nose: Spirit driven and rather piercing on the nose.  Wet grass and mud, yet just a faint presence of smoke.  Wood chips and limestone with a curious red brick note slabbed on top of a base of floral tones. Palate & Finish: Sugar melting into butter as the oily spirit takes…

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