ABV: 40 %
Origin: Speyside
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and very fruity. At first there’s a big citrusy explosion with lemons and oranges. When it settles a background of vanilla and honey reveals itself. There’s a black liquorice layer somewhere in between and a maltiness which is really helping everything along. This is a very clean and simple fruit bomb. It’s nice and mellow, without ever being boring.

Mouth: It starts out with a toffee note and a dusty maltiness. The fruits are not as protruding as on the nose and it’s now leaning more towards the black liquorice note. There’s a lemon sourness in the background though. The oakiness shows through after a few seconds and it has a nutty character. There is a spicyness which gives the whole thing enough power and intensity to give it a nice mouthfeel.

Finish: The fruitiness returns and it’s back to lemons and oranges, with a bit of the peels too. The oak comes very early and the maltiness is tagging along. The black liquorice is still creating the same middle layer as before. Just about every flavour follows along down the road. Hazelnuts and oranges are the flavours left when all else disappear. This is a fruity fanfare and it brings a lot of flavour to the table even though it has got low ABV.

Additional information
This is a single malt from one of the distilleries that makes whisky for the Ballantine’s finest blend. The casks used is not disclosed. This is series No. 003.