Tastes

Tasted neat. Nose: Caramel, wood. Also honey and a hint of brown sugar or light molasses. Arrival: The first thing you get is a sour apple or pear with a little whisper of smoke in the background. Also a not so subtle smack of pineapple or melon. Then, brine. The saltiness takes a second to hit your palate but once it does it is very noticeable - not offputting, however. I've heard it likened to ocean but this does not have the extreme salt of seawater. Think instead of shellfish cooked in a splash of seawater. Very interesting. Finish: Very subtle hint of almond. Slightly bitter smoke but very faint. Touch of black pepper on the tongue as it fades out. A very enjoyable dram that I will happily be spending more time with over the next few weeks. This whisky has a lot to offer that you might not catch on the first tasting. Would certainly recommend.

Tasted neat. Nose: Melted butter and honey. Notes of vanilla. Smells inviting. Arrival: Sweet and salty, but mostly sweet. Reminiscent of dried fruit. Black pepper and toffee are in there as well. The arrival is less interesting than the odor. Finish: The sweetness goes, leaving a slightly bitter taste. Brings citrus rind and cinnamon to mind. Once that's gone there's a slightly smokey aftertaste that lingers for a while. Overall it's not a bad dram but it doesn't stand out much either. Inoffensive, and enough different notes to peak the interest of a new scotch drinker. For 45.00 CAD, I'd say you're getting about what you pay for.