Style: Sweet and Complex
Nose:
Soothing, aromatic notes of fresh apples, honeydew and apricots, heather honey dripping lightly onto pine cones. Red fruits, a delicate but vibrant floral core builds up with a gentle, smoky kiss. Mmmm, all the signs of a good Highland Park… Lemon peel and peppermint edges, which is rounded off with stewed tropical fruits and marzipan, mineral and maritime signatures to give an extra depth. Very nice.
Palate:
What a lustrous and silky entrance, honeyed stone fruits, citrus, lavender and tobacco leaves knitting nicely together. More heather honey, tropical fruits sitting on top of molten dark-milk chocolate. Pine and green herbs honing the spicy edge, then we have wood shavings, malt biscuits all underlined with a coastal, tarry peat.
Finish:
The tone sinks deeper – chocolate milkshake, Mocha, McVitie’s, more tobacco leaves and finish with subtle hints of tropical fruits.
Thoughts:
Wow, what a dram, it has been a while but I am still impressed by the magnitude of this whisky. Effortless texture, vibrant vibe and immensely complex, all arranged in such a harmonic and coherent way. Excellent stuff, certainly the best of the Valhalla series by a mile.
☆☆ [Highly Recommended]
[48.7% / Original Bottle / Limited Edition / 2013 Bottled / Non Chill Filtered / **]
-Esmond