[56.9%・13 Years Old・Distilled in 2004・Bottled in 2017・The Whiskyfind Bottling・Cask No. 1049・Single Cask Release of 302 Bottles]
Nose:
The milky, seaweed-y note are quite upfront and generous, iodine and Chinese mushrooms leading to smoke and some peppery notes. A touch of almond butter oozes out in time as the smoke brings about a creamy, malty quality with some lavender in the mix.
Palate & Finish:
The buttery caramel sweetness on the palate comes with quite a bit of bite, some initial peppery spice alongside the peat that is present from the get go. The peat only grows stronger as the palate develops, dried fruits surfacing along with a herbal chewiness, joined later on by some blackberries.
The buttery caramel sauce integrates with the peat in the finish to smooth out all the rough edges in the finish, traces of burnt Portuguese tarts..
Thoughts:
A decent wine cask matured Port Charlotte with an appealing profile that is perhaps not too technical but at the same time it is not at all too powerful or overwhelming. Peat and wine casks can be a shaky combo but this is a pleasant surprise.
✓ [Recommended if you like the style/ distillery]
-Nicholas
WhiskNick 