[49.3%・ Distilled in 2014・Bottled in 2017・3 Years Old・Official Bottling・Single Cask Release of 213 Bottles]
Nose:
The thickness of old Black Gate has been replaced in favour of a more balanced delivery. The aged lemon from the “Port” cask is in play here with subtle notes of basil, oregano, minerals and copper. With time the familiar characters of the Black Gate spirit is freed, herbal and oozing of burnt toffee.
Palate & Finish:
The front palate is led by the excessive toffee treacle sweetness people have come to love of Black Gate whiskies but this time it feels more rounded, aided by the greenness of the spirit that helps restoring the evenness. Lemon and white grapes with the Port spices echoing in the background.
Melted white chocolate drops and Vienna almonds with a wee dose of camp fire soot giving the dram an authentic tail.
Thoughts:
The young distillery has come a long way transforming from a rustic distillery producing big “Sherry” casks to one that’s starting to experiment with “Port” casks and delivering a more balanced drop than before, the moderation in flavour intensity allows the expression to be more coherent. The dram works well with a generous pour and benefits from an almost greedy sip.
Thank you Brian and Genise for the gift, it’s very generous of you.
-Nicholas
WhiskNick 