Etikettarkiv: whisky review

AnCnoc, Highlands, Knockdhu

AnCnoc Peatheart

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ABV: 46 %
Origin: Highlands
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and peaty. Thick honey and savory peat are both very pronounced from the start. There is also a hay note coming from within the peatiness. In the background there are green fruits and yellow pears with some dust on top. After a few seconds vanilla and mint start to appear. The fruitiness keeps on moving forward until the whole thing almost becomes a peated dessert. This is a very pleasant nose.

Mouth: It starts out quite spicy and it takes a second or two for the main flavours to push through. There’s a savory peatiness and dry soil and they both help create an outer layer. On the inside there are yellow juicy pears and lemons. The desserty notes are still there and the vanilla is now joined by butterscotch and a hint of the oakiness. It’s not as sweet as on the nose.

Finish: The spicy mouthfeel doesn’t carry over to the finish. It starts out quite dusty with dry soil and the savory peat as main flavours. The fruitiness is almost completely gone. After a few seconds a very clean and fresh oak note appears and basically takes over everything except a thin peaty layer on the outside. It’s a freshly cut oak with hints of hazelnuts. It’s still very juicy and there’s no astringency. This is a solid peaty whisky with a fruity heart, but it feels a bit undecided on what it’s supposed to be.

Additional information
This is made by the Knockdhu distillery and it’s part of the AnCnoc core range. The barley used has 40 ppm. It’s aged for more than 10 years in american ex-bourbon oak barrels.

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Ardbeg, Islay

Ardbeg Drum

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ABV: 46 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and medicinal. At first approach it’s iodine and honey sweetness with a warm woodfire burning in the background. A peppermint note sits on top of everything and a cinnamon note resides in the far distance. When it settles in the glass it grows sweeter and vanilla starta to come through. It feels quite young and the rum cask finish is not very prominent, but it adds a roundness to the whole. A small thin layer of fruitiness can be found somewhere in the middle, but it needs some hunting to be found.

Mouth: At first it’s honey sweet and spicy with a touch of vanilla and caramel. It’s not as peaty as on the nose. Soon after, it turns around and becomes quite strict and medicinal. Iodine, bitterness, ashes, oakiness and seasalt create a high impact mix. It still feels very young and it’s very rowdy and it’s kind of diappointing compared to the nose.

Finish: The peppermint comes back for a quick visit. The sweetness is now nowhere to be found. It’s salty and medicinal. It’s very bitter and there’s espresso and hazelnuts found in the oakiness. A small touch of tropical fruits do come through after the initial impact, but they are easily missed. The peatiness turns towards the ashy notes in the late finish. The nose promises a lot more than the taste can deliver, but it most definitly makes an impact.

Additional information
This limited edition Ardbeg was released for Ardbeg Day, june 1st, 2019. It’s aged in american ex-bourbon casks and then finished in ex-rum casks. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Famous Grouse, Unspecified

Famous Grouse

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ABV: 40 %
Origin: Scotland unspecified
Type: Blended
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 1/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is harsh and sweet. At first the grain distillate is dominating with some butterscotch and honey in the background. It’s very metallic and rather unpleasant on the nose. After a while a layer of vanilla comes forward and makes it a little bit better. A maltiness is noticable when digging deep.

Mouth: At first it’s watery, then an artificial sweetness takes over together with the honey and the butterscotch. There’s a lemon note in the back and a tiny spicyness on the tip of the toungue. A bitterness builds up and takes over. It’s not an especially nice bitterness though.

Finish: Spicy at first, then grainy and sweet. The butterscotch increases and takes a bigger role in the finish. The harsh grain spirit gives an unpleasant alcohol note which lingers when the bitterness returns with an oakiness. The finish is longer than expected, but that is not a good thing. This should be used as a mixer and not consumed beat.

Additional information
The Grouse Brand was released in 1896 and two years later the name was changed to The Famous Grouse because of its popularity. Edrington uses Glenturret malt, but also some Macallan and Highland Park in this blend.

Highland Park, Islands

Highland Park 18 YO

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ABV: 43 %
Origin: Islands
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is dark fruits and leather. Ripe plums, raisins and liquorice comes through as a thick layer sitting on top of notes of new leather and dry garden soil. The whole thing is salty and a savory note can be found in the middle of it all. A small veil of mentholated tobacco hovers like a cloud above everything else. After a while coffee and sweet oranges appear. This is quite complex and has great depth.

Mouth: It’s a mild and fresh lemon/orange based start. It’s salty, yet very fruity and much brighter than on the nose. Dried fruits such as a mix of raisins, coconut and pineapples are in there, but also darker fruit flavours such as ripe red apples and plums. It’s very juicy. A small hint of dust and a complex note coming from the long maturation creates a nice depth. Far away in the back there’s a maritime feel to it.

Finish: The leather and tobacco notes coming from the peat is first, then soil and a mix of fresh and darker fruits. A small bitterness comes through before the oakiness arrives. It comes with notes of coffee and walnuts. The sherry notes and the leather stick around and together with the oak they stay for a long very nice finish. After a few sips a tropical fruitiness starts to appear in the finish. The finish also has the aura of the long maturation. This is an excellent whisky.

Additional information
The Highland Park 18 YO was released in 1997. The ppm is 20 and it’s aged in both american and european Oloroso sherry seasoned oak casks. It has natural colour.

Chivas Regal, Unspecified

Chivas Regal 12 YO

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ABV: 40 %
Origin: Scotland unspecified
Type: Blended
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 2/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is mild and sweet. Butterscotch and sweet liquorice sit behind a very thin veil of harsh grain spirit. The oakiness is in the background together with some honey. A hint of green fruits peeks through every now and then. This is a bit uneventful and too friendly.

Mouth: It starts out extremely mild with butterscotch, honey and just a small glimmer of fresh fruits arriving all together. A touch of lemon sits in the back while a small spicyness builds up on the toungue, but it never really takes off. A bitter note and the oakiness come through after a few seconds. It is a bit dry, but it takes a few sips to really notice that.

Finish: Mild peppermint and butterscotch lead way to a small hint green apples. There are dry soil notes coming through in the background before it moves over to a very pronounced oakiness. It’s just a tad bitter and the oak feels like old grey wooden planks. The oakiness stays by itself for a pretty long finish. A small metallic note is left when the oak subsides.

Additional information
The content of this blend isn’t disclosed, but it’s revealed that it has a base in Speyside malts like Longmorn, Strathisla, Glenlivet and Aberlour. There are also whiskies from the Highlands and Islay in the blend.

Akashi, Japan

Akashi White Oak NoAge

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ABV: 46 %
Origin: Japan
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is fruity and very floral. At first there are baked red apples, marzipan and a bouquet of flowers. The background consists of fudge, vanilla and a thick base of honey. A thin but noticable savory note can also be found in the back. A thin veil of dust covers everything. It’s quite nice on the nose.

Mouth: It’s very mild at first but soon a small spicyness kicks in. Anise and dry soil sit together with apples, honey and fudge. Bitterness comes through quite early and it brings some astringency with it. When the oakiness comes through it sits in the back of the palate. It’s very different from the nose. Not as sweet and quite unpleasant. It feels underaged and a bit harsh.

Finish: The finish is quite uneventful. A small whiff of alcohol with a small visit to all the things the mouth brought and then going directly to the oakiness. There are some bitter notes lingering with coffee and a small bunch of walnuts. A hint of the savory note returns somewhere down the line. It’s a bit disappointing overall since the nose makes promises the taste can’t keep.

Additional information
White Oak is the distillery name and not cask type declaration. It’s called NoAge, but it’s about 5 years old. It’s matured for 3 years in american ex-bourbon oak barrels and 2 years in ex-sherry casks. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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AnCnoc, Highlands, Knockdhu

AnCnoc Cutter

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ABV: 46 %
Origin: Highlands
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is leather and fruits. There’s a quite hefty peatiness up front with green fruits in the background. There’s leather and a warm burning wood fire together with green apples and pears. It’s very bright and the oak is clearly detectable from the start. It’s a fresh oakiness. There’s a thin veil of vanilla appearing after some time in the glass.

Mouth: A peat cloud rolls by, then spicyness and yellow pears take over. The peat comes with notes of leather, grass and dry soil. There’s also a medicinal note. The vanilla is more pronounced now and tvhere’s a dustiness on top of everything. It’s well rounded and well balanced.

Finish: The peatiness moves forward once again and it’s got the same character throughout. The fruitiness is now a bit muted. It moves over to a dry, freshly cut oakiness. A touch of vanilla and a tiny note of honey comes through with the oak. There’s a very nice touch of a nutty bitterness. This is a well made whisky.

Additional information
This is made by the Knockdhu distillery and it’s a limited release. The barley used has 20.5 ppm. It’s aged in american ex-bourbon hogsheads. It’s unchillfiltered and it has natural colour.

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Islands, Talisker

Talisker Distiller’s Edition 2001/2012

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ABV: 45.8 %
Origin: Islands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is coastal and fruity. At first, the sherry notes come up with darker fruits and red berries. Behind there’s a layer of vanilla and honey with some salt and white sand mixed in. Even further back there are some brighter fruits like green apples. The feint peatiness is creating a thin veil of smoke from mentholated tobacco. A medicinal note comes through after some time in the glass.

Mouth: At first there’s a bitter note together with a touch of spices. After a second or two the peatiness starts to build up with a very medicinal aura. The tobacco is still present but it has strayed from the menthol. The sherry notes are somewhat held back and acts as fillers for the harsher flavours. There’s some vanilla coming through but the honey sweetness is now gone.

Finish: The menthol comes back and together with the medicinal notes the lead way back onto the beach. There’s a quite noticable saltiness and it’s still got an earthy, sandy feel to it. The sherry is still toned down and the fruitiness is much brighter than before. After some time the oak comes through. It’s a mild oakiness. There’s no astringency and it never sits alone. It’s accompanied by the medicinal notes all the way to the end. In the late finish the tobacco notes reappear. This is a dram with a nice fruity twist to an otherwise rowdy experience.

Additional information
This is basically the Talisker 10 YO finished for about a year in ex-Amaroso sherry casks. It has around 20 ppm. It’s aged for 10 years in reconstructed american ex-bourbon oak barrels before the finishing period.

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Bowmore, Islay

Bowmore 10 YO – Inspired by the Devil’s Casks

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ABV: 46 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is dark fruits and new leather. The cask influence is extreme and seems to sit on top of everything else. There are raisins, figs, sweet liquorice, black grapes and a thick brown syryp and it almost feels like they are attacking the nose. Behind the dark fruity wall notes of new leather and smoke coming from a warm, burning campfire. It’s got a salty touch and a hint of lime is peeking through. There’s a cool mint piercing the thick sweetness.

Mouth: It starts out very thick and sweet. Almost immidiately a dusty oak note shows up together with leather. A black pepper spicyness arises slowly. There are dark notes of raisins, anise and liquorice within the dense sweetness. It’s slightly bitter and the mild leather and smoke note has taken a step back. The cask influence is still a bit too close for comfort. A bitter note and some salt is sitting around the edges. The brighter fruitiness normally found in Bowmores is nowhere to be found.

Finish: A big burst of red and dark fruits and some spicyness. The sherry notes are still very much the focal point and the same notes come marching through once again. The red wine with black grapes and a hint of blueberries are coming forward a bit more in the finish. It takes a long time for the oakiness to break through. It’s slightly astringent and very mild and never really steps up in front. A black liquorice note is left in the mouth long after everything else is gone. This is a very good whisky, but the previous cask content is a bit over the top.

Additional information
This is a limited release that was released in september 2016 as a travel retail exclusive. The main part of the maturation is done in first fill european ex-Oloroso sherry casks and then for a finishing period in ex-red wine barriques. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

Cardhu, Speyside

Cardhu Gold Reserve

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ABV: 40 %
Origin: Speyside
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 2/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and fruity. Honey, vanilla and toffee are sitting on top of some baked red apples. It’s very mild and nothing really pops from the glass. It’s dusty and there’s just a hint of oak in the back. The toffee note moves forward with time in the glass. It’s very rounded around the edges even if it has a youthness sitting in the back, which manifests as a thin metallic note.

Mouth: A very sweet start with honey and a lemon note quickly passing by. It stays very sweet for a long time with vanilla and toffee slowly moving forward. There’s a white pepper spicyness, but it never really amounts to anything. When it finally sets some of the sweetness aside it slowly reveals a slightly bitter oak, but it just stays in the back. It’s still extremely mild and round like a marble.

Finish: The finish is just a continuation of the sweet and mild parade. A few seconds of honey, vanilla and toffee goes by before it lands in a bland oakiness. It’s a little dusty, but otherwise laid back and it feels like it doesn’t want to be noticed. The toasted flavours do come through though, but they do not do much to create anything. This is too mild and too well rounded to be interesting. It’s definitely a good dram if someone needs an introduction into scotch.

Additional information
The Gold Reserve was first released in 2014. This is aged in toasted casks. The Cardhu distillate is primarily used in Johnny Walker blends. Cardhu is also very popular, as an example, it’s the best selling whisky in Spain.

Bowmore, Islay

Bowmore 18 YO – Deep & Complex

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ABV: 43 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: A very thick dark fruitiness with raisins, plums and ripe berries creates a thick layer covering everything on approach. Smoke coming from a warm burning campfire creates a nice setting together with a salty seashore note. A tropical fruitiness with pinapple and mangos sits in the middle with vanilla, lime and sweet black liquorice. The oak peeks through but it’s not pronounced. There’s a hint of menthol creating a freshness to the whole. It’s a pleasant nosing, but it feels like there’s a distance between the sherry overtone and the rest of the dram.

Mouth: It starts out very sweet and the vanilla steps forward at first. The texture is thick and oily and it shows its age with a hefty dustiness. There are both ripe and dried fruits together with fresh red berries and a lot of tropical fruitiness. It’s salty and somewhat astringent. The oak is old, grey and weathered. There’s almost no peat flavours, just a hint of leather in the background.

Finish: The finish starts out with a big bowl of tropical fruits and the campfire smoke finally returns. The oak is dusty and got some astringency to it. It’s still grey and weathered and there’s a hint of bitterness with walnuts within. The very long and pleasant finish carries all the fruity flavours all the way through. The menthol returns in the tail end and creates a veil over all the fruits and the oak.

Additional information
This expression was released in 2017 as a part of Bowmore’s travel retail range. It’s matured in a combination of ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry and ex-Oloroso sherry casks.

Glendronach, Highlands

Glendronach 12 YO

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ABV: 43 %
Origin: Highlands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: At first there are dark and dried fruits together with some sweet black liquorice and a hint of anise. It’s filled with raisins, dades and ripe plums soaked in liqueur. The sweetness is thick with brown sugar and honey notes. There’s also a more floral side to it. After a while the fruitiness moves more towards fresher red berries.

Mouth: At first there’s a hint of lemon but when it settles it moves back towards red and dark fruits. It’s got some dust on top and a nice vanilla note within. It’s really heavy on the raisins. After a while a thin bitter note comes through with a slightly astringent oakiness.

Finish: The lemon note comes back for a second or two before the fruitiness comes back. It’s now back to more of the red berries and the darker fruits resides in the back. Everything disappears quite fast and that leaves the oak to do a solo exit. It’s a very nice oakiness, but a bit laid back. A metallic note coates the mouth after the oakiness is gone which brings it down a little. All-in-all it’s a nice dram but it’s a bit subtle to be a ”sherry bomb”.

Additional information
The Glendronach 12 YO is matured in both ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry casks and ex-Oloroso sherry casks. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

Balvenie, Speyside

The Balvenie 16 YO – Triple Cask

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

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and fruity. There’s a mix of oranges, apples and pears together with syryp, vanilla and a hint of butterscotch and/or toffee. The sherry notes are also present, but it takes a while before it opens up. It adds dried druits and berries and gives the nose a great span from darker to lighter notes. There’s a slight bitterness coming from a mix of orange peel and the oakiness. This is very pleasant on the nose.

Mouth: A very mild and easy approach brings the vanilla up front together with oranges and grapefruits. The oak shows up early with a nice walnut bitterness to it. There’s chocolate and a touch of cinnamon. There’s also a salty note which helps the the butterscotch and toffee to change towards salted caramel. A tiny amount of spicyness and a speck of dust sits on top. It’s quite complex despite the low ABV.

Finish: The finish just brings more of the same notes with vanilla and both plums, raisins, citrus fruits and berries. The oak moves forward and a big bucket of assorted tropical fruits appear. It’s still slightly bitter with orange peel and walnuts. It’s a very mild experience all the way through.

Additional information
This was released in 2013 as a part of the Balvenie’s travel retail range. It’s aged in three different cask types individually; First fill and refill american ex-bourbon oak barrels and first fill ex-Oloroso sherry casks. It’s then married together in a tun.

Cardhu, Speyside

Cardhu 12 YO

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

Tasting notes
Nose: Very fruity and fresh up front and musty and dusty in the back. This results in baked apples with vanilla cream, yellow pears and a fudge note. There’s some oak notes peeking through and sweet black liquorice develop with time in the glass.

Mouth: Very mild. It’s still quite dusty and the vanilla and fudge move forward. The apples are still there, and so are the cream. There’s just a hint of spicyness. Very approachable and (dare I say it) smooth. The oak arrives early and creates a much needed baseline to the other flavours.

Finish: The oak comes through immediately pushing everything aside except a thin fruity green note. The oak is very bright and straight forward. It’s nice, not bitter nor astringent. After a while the oak changes towards assorted tropical fruits. This is not a very complex whisky but it serves well as an easy sipper.

Additional information
The Cardhu distillate is primarily used in Johnny Walker blends, but the single malt is also sold and it’s even the best selling whisky in Spain. They tried to change it to a blended malt somewhere around 2003 but had to change it back after a year or two. The cask type isn’t disclosed but the flavour profile suggest american ex-bourbon barrels.

Glenlivet, Speyside

The Glenlivet 12 YO

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

Tasting notes
Nose: Sweet and fruity notes of both green and red apples together with yellow pears, vanilla, honey and pie crust. The oak is noticable and there’s a feint grassy overtone. This is very easy on the nose.

Mouth: It starts out mild and a bit watery. The honey sweetness together with butterscotch, vanilla and baked apples gives it a dessert-like profile. There’s a slight oakiness and a spicyness on the tip of the toungue.

Finish: The fruitiness is at the center, but the vanilla comes through very strong giving it a warm rounded flavour. The rest of the flavours are still in there but subsides and gives room to the oak, which is dry but not astringent. There’s not very strong flavors in the finish, but they find a way to linger in the mouth. This is not very complex but well made as an accessible whisky.

Additional information
One of the most famous single malts in the world. It’s matured first in traditional (refill) oak casks, and then finished in first fill ex-bourbon barrels.

Glenlivet, Speyside

The Glenlivet 18 YO

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ABV: 43 %
Origin: Speyside
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 1
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is a big bowl of fruits with vanilla on the side. It’s ripe red juicy apples, yellow pears and clementines. There’s also honey, vanilla and cinnamon. The oak is detectable and gives it a mature side. It’s very fragrant.

Mouth: It starts off dusty with some maltiness. There’s an immediate astringency and the oak is very much present from the start. It’s dry and slightly bitter and sits well with the fruits, which are now turning towards grapes and green apples. It’s got a white wine touch to it. The spicyness is feint and it’s a mild, but not bland, experience.

Finish: The big fruit bowl and the white wine note take lead. The oak is still astringent and dry. There’s dark chocolate covered hazelnuts, vanilla, cardemum and some peaches all peeking through. It’s a long and pleasant oaky finish.

Additional information
This 18 YO expression is matured in a combination of first and second Fill american Oak barrels and ex-Sherry european oak casks.

Islay, McClelland’s, McClelland’s (Islay)

McClelland’s Islay Single Malt

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ABV: 40 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 2/5

Tasting notes
Nose: At first, there’s a savory and grassy peat note coming through, but it’s quite thin on the nose overall. Some fruitiness can be found but it’s so feint it cannot specified. There are also hints of vanilla, honey and butterscotch.

Mouth: This a thin maltiness swimming in water together with vanilla and butterscotch notes. It almost feels like there’s grain spirit in it which can be connected to the presumed young age. An assorted fruit note comes through with a hint of cinnamon. The peat smoke is a bit toned down and it’s very mild.

Finish: Surprisingly, there are nice tropical fruit notes appearing, but they disappear quite quickly and leave a bland oak note and some ashy leftovers from the peat. Overall it’s not a bad array of flavours, it’s just muted, like listening to music through a wall.

Additional information
The content in this bottle isn’t disclosed, but the brand McClelland’s is owned by Morrison Bowmore, so it’s a good bet that the content comes from the Bowmore distillery.

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Big Peat, Independent bottlers, Islay

Douglas Laing’s Big Peat

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ABV: 46 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Blended Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: It starts with a heavy and dense smokiness with honeyglazed bacon and the ashy notes of a campfire just about to die out. When the first impact subsides there’s lemon juice and a whiff of the sea (like being on the shore on a cold, windy day) in the back.

Mouth: It starts out very sweet and ashy. It’s savory with a nice honey and vanilla touch to it. It’s surprisingly mild but still manages to give a big bold array of smoke flavours. Some spicyness arrive late and it’s not a big part of the experience.

Finish: The smoke notes change slightly towards tobacco and a hint of rubber. It’s still savory and ashy though. This is very much a peaty fanfare with just a touch of salt and lemon. The oak note is very well hidden, but shows up as a slight astringency in the tail of the finish.

Additional information
Big Peat is part of Douglas Laing’s ”Remarkable regional malts of Scotland” series. It’s a blend of malts from distilleries located on islay. Douglas Laing mentions Caol Ila, Bowmore, Ardbeg and Port Ellen as components. It has natural colour and it’s unchillfiltered.

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Independent bottlers, Islands, Rock Oyster

Douglas Laing’s Rock Oyster

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ABV: 46,8 %
Origin: Islands
Type: Blended Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: First thing that pops up is a savory, meaty note. Spicy and ashy, hints of lemon and lime. There’s a metallic note in the back. Quite powerful and unforgiving.

Mouth: Starts out mellow and sweet. The savory note takes over with notes of honey glazed barbecued meat. Still a little sour in the back. Spices build up after a couple of seconds. A bit underwhelming compared to the nose.

Finish: Sweet, savory and ashy. A complex array of ”funky” notes show up in the middle of the finish together with the honey and vanilla which makes it quite interresting. The oak note hides in the background and never really takes over.

Additional information
Rock Oyster is part of Douglas Laing’s ”Remarkable regional malts of Scotland” series. It’s a blend of malts from distilleries located on the islands. Douglas Laing mentions Arran, Islay, Orkney and Jura as Islands where the components come from. It has natural colour and it’s unchillfiltered.

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Highlands, Tullibardine

Tullibardine The Murray Marsala Cask Finish 2006/2018 – The Marquess Collection

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ABV: 46 %
Origin: Highlands
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 1
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: Floral honey, vanilla, toffee, ripe red berries and plums. A nice funky complex note shows through. Reminds me of a liqueur soaked sponge cake.

Mouth: Sweet and dusty, astringent, spicy, ripe fruits mixed with custard. Very well balanced.

Finish: A spice burst turns into a tropical fruit note and a nice oak flavour. The ”funky” complex note follows all the way through to the finish. After a while the oak finish switch to coffee note.

Additional information
This version of The Murray is distilled in 2006 and aged in first fill american ex-bourbon barrels and then under a finishing period, about a year, in Sicilian Marsala wine casks. It’s bottled in 2018 which gives approximately 12 years of maturation. It’s a limited edition.

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