ABV: 48 %
Origin: Speyside
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and oaky. At first there’s a pugnant new oak lid on top with a lot of vanilla attached to it. Underneath is a brown sugar sweetness with banana and a hint of marzipan. It almost comes with a bourbon profile at first, but after a while the maltiness arrives together with some assorted green fruits. There’s a hint of varnish in there as well as some honey and butterscotch. This is a decent, yet over-oaked and boring, nose.

Mouth: It starts out with a bitter note in the back, a sweetness in the middle and an oakiness all along the edges. Coffee, dark chocolate and banana are all coming through as well as a spicy chili note, butterscotch and some lemon zest. There is also a fresher green fruitiness floating around. Everything is covered in an aggressive oakiness which makes it feel very unbalanced. The oakiness is quite unique and it very much does deliver what the box says. It still feels a bit boring though.

Finish: The transition is quite logical with a slight increase in spicyness, especially the spices coming from the oak. The sweetness, vanilla and the green fruits are joined by liquorice, but everything swiftly passes by before the oakiness once more takes over. In the finish the oakiness shifts towards a more nutty character with walnuts, coffee and with a hint of the banana still in there. It’s slightly astringent and the late finish is slightly unpleasant. This is a so-and-so whisky by taste, but it delivers on its promises. This means that the consumer needs to be an absolute oak lover.

Additional information
This whisky was first in ex-bourbon barrels and then finished for 18 months in Chiquapin virgin oak barrels. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

If you like my reviews and wish to offer a small donation, please click the ”donate” button below!