Tastes

Wasn't what I was expecting at all. Almost liqueur-like; the honeycomb on the nose and palate is pretty dominant. Indiana suggests MGP as the source. And 'American whiskey' is a very broad category and includes things like Seven Crowns which is 75% neutral grain spirit (I actually quite like it) so goodness knows what's in this. Bourbon this ain't. Like the Motörhead vodka though, worth it for the bottle alone.

I've had a couple of expressions from this distillery and enjoyed them immensely. Yes, the whisky is young, but so what, and these people do so many things so right. My bottle (bought Shinonoya, Tokyo July 2021) is another fantastic addition to the range. The peat is delicate and enhances all the usual Cotswolds traits - cereal, fruit, herbal notes - beautifully. It also is surprisingly smooth despite being 60.2% (120.4 proof).

Almost worth the price of admission alone for the gorgeous bottle and tin. What’s inside is pretty damn good too. 24 year old Laddie wearing various winey and fruity layers at a shade under 100 proof (48.4% alcohol). Not the cheapest whisky you’ll buy at ¥35,000 yen a bottle (£260/$322), but once it’s gone it’s gone. It ain’t going to be getting any cheaper. A labyrinthine flavour exploration and a must for any Bruichladdich fan. Lovely!