Tastes

Light, balanced, more peaty than smoky. A nice option to have but not a must have in a bar. Opens up with time. Think I prefer the Islay barley variation

Hints of caramel, menthol, spice. Biscuits. Funky and hot. An interesting premise, but disappointed

BLIND TASTING Nose: wisp of smoke, hint of iodine. Not too much on the nose. Taste: peaty, spicy, fruity, sting (cask strength). Perhaps Kilchoman. Warm, medicinal, but still light and fruity, grassy. Like a tea. Blackberry. A little salty Notes: light in color. Very enjoyable. A touch on the medicinal, not too much but a little imbalanced with the lighter front. Would enjoy a bottle but not headed out to buy one.

BLIND TASTING Nose: white grape juice (strong) Taste: also white grape juice, cinnamon finish. Somewhat thin, low abv. Tannins of red grape peel. Hint of strawberry finish. Makes me guess about French oak. Reminiscent of glen grant.

BLIND TASTING Nose: sherry cask notes, maraschino, vanilla. Water adds acetone Taste: sweet, spicy, suspect cask strength. Cocoa and licorice finish. Aberlour or dalmore reminiscent, the more I taste the more I find that matches Nikka. Suspect sherry cask, speyside. Rich and full. Increasing maltiness with time and a little water

BLIND TASTING Nose: STRONG cocoa notes. Baking spices, dried fruits, fig, raisins, Madeira aroma. I’m already looking forward to the taste! Taste: dried wood, many spices, Christmasy. Suggestive of glendronach, perhaps Glenallachie. Strong cask finish. Tiny sour finish. Based on what I’ve read about glendronach revival, this would be my guess. This is a great slow sipper, really enjoyed this Notes: nice dark color, suggestive of sherry or a fortified wine. Rating: 4.5

BLIND TASTING Nose: not surprised to detect peat on the nose. Hint of medicinal, but not so much to be offputting, a sweet element as well again, strikes me like an ardbeg. Spices and maybe licorice. Taste: peaty, spicy, hint of dried fruit. Cask strength. Aftertaste has laphroaig medicinal and iodine hints, which are usually offputting to me but this is more balanced. Would expect a bourbon cask. Cocoa notes emerge later, this opens up with some time. Notes: judging just by the color, which is very light and natural looking, I guess some thing like an ardbeg or peaty. But also could be young. The more I have this the more I lean to laphroaig but a “brighter” laphroaig Rating: 4.25 - not going to be competing for my super favorites but this is a nice, reasonably balanced peat, warm and spicy

Nice balance of sweetness, peat and mouth feel. Bourbon barrel vibes

BLIND TASTING Nose: peat, sweet, honeysuckle Taste: like a kilkerran or kilchoman, mix of sweet and crisp with a waft of peat, then rich cocoa finish. Bourbon barrel cask? Maybe this is kilchoman double barrel? I get a hint of sherry richness and sweetness at the end and the color suggests it. Notes: Opens up nicely with some water and time