ABV: 40 %
Origin: Speyside
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and fruity. At first there are a lot of vanilla, red berries and oranges. Just underneath lies a thin layer of darker ripe plums and raisins. There’s also a floral note somewhere in between. It’s got a light character with a minty note on top but there’s a slightly complex sulfur and malt note coming from the background which gives it a nice three-dimensional character, but it’s fighting against a younger distillate with some sharp egdes to it. This is a nice nose overall. It feels a bit rough around the edges though.

Mouth: It starts out with a mild vanilla and malt sweetness on top with dried fruits and a hint of sulfur in the back. The fresher fruits have taken a step back, but there is a hint of orange peel and lemon in the back. It’s very round, easy to approach and gives a nice setting for the sherry cask notes which at this point covers the slight harshness of the somewhat young distillate.

Finish: The initial impact is a bit too mild and weak. It takes a second before the malt and the vanilla starts to awaken and for the fruitiness to return. The fruitiness is now spreading out in the background with mainly an orange peel fruity bitter note. It co-exists with a nice nutty oakiness and a slightly savory note in the back. The oakiness slowly moves forwards and the late finish is very nice. This is a good whisky with a lot to offer despite the low ABV. It ought to be a good introduction to sherried whiskies.

Additional information
The Robur Reserve is a travel retail exclusive release. It’s been aged in first fill european ex-Oloroso sherry casks for an undisclosed amount of time.