Tastes

Nose: Sweet barley and honey. The slightest bit of salty smoke comes through. The nose is mellow but pleasant. Some peppery oak notes burn the nostrils slightly if I try too hard. ⠀ Taste: At first, this whisky seemed so "gentle" that I wasn't getting much out of it. I found it boring and it really needed some time on the tongue to open up. After sufficient time, tasting it sends a sudden mix of mellow sweet barley, earthy bitterness, and ever so slightly smoky notes to coat your palate. The mellow sweetness lingers and the earthy tang turns into a peppery, orangey zest. The pepper lasts well into the finish, but the sweet smoke note is actually what lasts the longest. ⠀ The mouthfeel is somewhat oily but the flavor is more semi-sweetness and earthy bitterness as opposed to the creamy rich sweetness you might expect from the texture. ⠀ I'm really not sure what to think of this whisky. It started out a bit boring and then quickly become a bit more intense than I expected from "The Gentle Spirit". I generally prefer either a sweet or a meaty and salty rich scotch, and this doesn't really deliver either of those. This has got some classic highland notes, sort of a more earthy bitter Glenmorangie 10, but I'm not sure how much I like it. I may have to rate this one again after further tastings.

Nose: Sweet barley takes the lead here with some apple and pear notes. The smell almost has a thick texture to it that makes me think of honey. There is some bright white pepper and a bit of oaky dryness. Really a nice sweet barley-forward nose. ⠀ Taste: A somewhat complex mix of notes that starts out with the some malty sweetness, but ventures more into a tart fruity sweetness. Not so much berry fruits, but maybe more citric and bold on the tongue. Quite strong notes of spicy pepper here and certainly some astringency. Think of fruit, pepper, moderate tannins, and a little bit if earthy smoke. It took a moment to appreciate the taste as it wasn't what i was expecting after the nose. ⠀ ⠀ The texture of the whiskey feels somewhat thick on the tongue and seems a little oily, but fades away somewhat quickly into a dry and somewhat hot medium finish. As the heat fades, I seem to get some allspice and other bright baking spice notes emerging here and there. ⠀ ⠀ This is an interesting whisky and I think it offers a lot at the 12 year mark. It's not as refined and rich as an older highland malt might be, but it has a lot of character and I enjoyed trying it. I might pick up a bottle in the future. Due to its spiciness, I think it drinks hotter than the average 43% highland scotch, but sometimes that is favorable.