ABV: 40 %
Origin: Speyside
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and fruity. Juicy pears and a mild butterscotch are first to present themselves. There is a slight spicyness floating around but it’s not protruding in any way. There are honey and vanilla notes deep down underneath together with a speck of dust. After some time in the glass it gets maltier and the fruitiness changes towards dried apricots. This is a nice and easy nose, but a bit too mild and uneventful.

Mouth: It starts out a bit watery and then the butterscotch sweetness takes lead. After a few seconds it becomes malty and the fruitiness returns. It’s now assorted dried fruits with a lemon note in the background. The oakiness creates a very thin layer surrounding everything. It’s a dry, slightly spicy and bitter oakiness. With patience the dried fruits turns into a feint tropical fruitiness. It’s richer in taste than on the nose.

Finish: There is a small window where the fruitiness comes through before the spotlight turns towards the oak. Vanilla lies on top and there’s a spicy quite bitter note underneath. It doesn’t take long before the oakiness completely takes over and now with its bitter side up front. It’s almost too bitter in the end. There’s a small walnut note coming through and maybe some very dark chocolate. This is a good, solid speysider with a twist in the end.

Additional information
This whisky is matured in both ex-bourbon american oak barrels and ”a high percentage” of ex-sherry european oak casks. This is one of the main components in Bell’s Blended Whisky.