Tastes

(Vita Dulcis Advent Calendar 20/24) Even though I didn’t like the core line of Wolfburn, I became a small fan of them because of the special small batch releases they do. I had some of them but never managed to get my hands on this particular one here. So let’s see how it holds up to my favorite 375. Nose: delicious familiar Wolfburn nose with an extra portion of port on this one. Very rich fruity notes of peaches, pears, apples and some sweet berries, some vegetal and savory spicy notes as well, then some autum dry grain unharvested, mild dried apricots, orange juice and vanilla whiffs Palate: sweet and a little hot entry, then it gets sweet and acidic prickly on the tongue like that super sour candy you got as a kid, when that has settled a bid you get nice trail mix, crispy banana chips, apple peel, apple seeds too and a distinct Asian nashi pear Finish: nuts, baked apple, a lot of malt, lemon juice Verdict: what an exiting and interesting whisky, the flavors are delivering a nice experience, this is a very promising whisky that makes me exited for what Wolfburn has in store for later years. Thinking about it it really reminds me of the Bruichladdich Classic Laddie 10y but with a hotter character and more fruity notes.

I reopened this Parafilm sealed bottle for the Christmas season and my god is this a fantastic whisky. I am a fan of BenRiach and this one for sure is amongst my favorites. I maintain my 4.25 rating from about a year ago when I last had it (and I rarely ever give ratings above 4) but it is just so delicious. This is dark ripe grape sweetness with a delicious spiciness along buttery vanilla cream, a lot of port soaked dark old wood and a lovely vibrant fruity dryness which gives it a crisp and bright side as well. But the silky texture just make this dangerously drinkable yet it has an insane complexity, richness and depth with that exiting young crispness as well. So sad this isn’t available anymore and hard to get on the secondary market. This would be a stable on my top shelf for sure if I just could get another bottle.

(Vita Dulcis Advent Calendar 19/24) This is my very first Macallan. I‘ve always avoided it because the hype about it somehow turned me away from it. I have not really seen exceptional reviews for it that justify its comparably high price. First of all I was very disappointed about the ABV which is only 40% - the very legal minimum that actually allows it to be called scotch whisky. So right of the bat this flows in line with Balvenie, Glenlivet and Dalmore for me which all do the same at a still high price and mostly mediocre ratings all across the field with only few exceptions for the very top of the line. Nose: a mild fruity Speyside character, a candy sweetness and some neat sherry notes, it is a nicely balanced and interesting nose even if it is a little weak, lots of honey and a bid of vanilla too Palate: creamy sweet, marzipan, some dry grape notes, sherry and wood influences and a mild spiciness, actually likeable for sure and more intense than expected, finally a 40% whisky that doesn’t feel like water but it still is very subdued and makes you wonder how great this wood be at around 48% ABV Finish: medium to short and not very intense but still maintaining the flavors from the palate nicely Verdict: I actually enjoyed it but didn’t really like it, it feels like it is held down like on a leash, I can grasp the potential it could have when being older and less diluted

(Vita Dulcis Advent Calendar 17/24) Nose: fruity and nutty, not overly sweet, oily, raisins, the nose calls to me that this is a quality whisky somehow, it feels mature but not old Palate: oily sweet like raisins in sweet milk, a lot of woody tannins, orange peel, tangerine juice, bitter almonds and other nuts Finish: very nice, wood and orange oil, a nice ginger spicyness, dark chocolate, bitter orange Verdict: I really liked it, that 12 years suit it very well and it feels proper mature for its age, I also like that it less sweet and more spicy, I could see myself drinking this here and there

(Vita Dulcis Advent Calendar 16/24) A refined light nose that is very much Islay with its typical peat notes. It is very shy though and you definitely notice the only 40% ABV. But it is likable for sure. I read that it is at least to some part Finlaggan which I already had in this advent calendar and actually liked. Next the peat there is pure white fruit / grape sugar as well as bright clear apple juice. The peat is really its only convincing feature. Palate is sweet and cold ash from a burned down fireplace. The finish though is really surprisingly bad. At first it is ok But then it quickly becomes very unpleasant. Not sure if that is from the batch they used for the samples or whatever but the finish is like burned plastic and glue. Actually chemical like snail pesticides. Can’t finish the glass. Nose: 3 Palate: 2.5 Finish: 1

(Vita Dulcis Advent Calendar 14/24) Nose: very sweet fruity syrupy nose that reminds me of a Glenrothes single cask from Claxton’s from my shelve, very familiar and likable for that reason because I love that Glenrothes, sweet marzipan, sweet cranberry-grape-juice, some good bid of smoke as well in the back (not so much BBQ-peaty but more from the char), there also is plenty of silky vanilla cream, soft butter cookies, French madeleines - the nose gets even better after the initial taste Palate: really nice palate, very unique unlike anything I had before, now there is an interesting peat for sure, also very sweet fruity still, again buttery sweet vanilla and creamy fruit sauce, later delicious coffee with cream Finish: again really peaty and smoothly sweet Verdict: I like it actually quite a lot, after revealing that this is Caol Ila I was surprised again. I know and like Caol Ila but I have never had one like this before, usually Caol Ila has noticeable citrus and vanilla notes - here I only got the vanilla but different to how I know it in combination with that syrupy sweetness. (Don’t add water - it makes it more rough and dry)

(Vita Dulcis Advent Calendar 13/24) Nose: soft but recognizable Islay peat, also the red wine finish makes it additionally interesting, peaches from a tin can, baked apples, actually surprisingly nice, a little weak but that’s totally ok, the character of the nose is reminiscent of Kilchoman which really amazes me with that cold charcoal barbecue smoke with burned matches, later barbecue sauce that is made of cooked black- and raspberries Palate: interesting as well and really intense, quite demanding and dry but very interesting for sure, gets smoother after a while and also lightly sweet like fresh strawberry jam but the cold ashy peat smoke is lingering in the back the whole time - very convincing I wanna add. Finish: slightly bitter but the peat grounds that really well, the wine influences are also very interestingly presented as well Verdict: I must say I was first confused and then very positively surprised when I found out that this was a Finlaggan, which I have never had before. Why is no talking about this distillery? It has a very strong and convincing Islay character which admittedly is a little rough and less smooth than other Islay whiskies but by no means worse. I really enjoyed this sample. It has its minor flaws and I don’t really see myself buying a bottle if I can chose a Kilchoman Sanaig or Uigeadail instead but if offered I wouldn’t deny it because this is a quite nice Islay representative for sure.

(Vita Dulcis Advent Calendar 12/24)

(Vita Dulcis Advent Calendar 11/24) A very standard whisky again. Fruit, florals and perfume with a bid of honey and vanilla like - well - hundreds of others. After revealing this blindly tasted sample I didn’t even finish the 2cl dram. I just don’t like this kind of whisky. I instead poured myself a dram of the Highland Park 18 to compensate for the less than mediocre samples I had over the last tastes. (Except for the Tomatin and Benromach of course) I haven’t had any of the more regular basic whiskies lately and going through this Advent Calendar I know exactly why. Honestly most of these whiskies I had during this “tasting experience” are just boring. The majority so far are super young or NAS bottlings that were only matured in ex-bourbon casks - most of them feeling 2nd or 3rd fill really. These are not bad - they are just so one sided and boring. Yes I am a peat-head but equally like exotic cask maturations or really interesting sherry finishes that breathe life and character into a whisky. But I really wonder how anyone would enjoy these ones here or even buy this kind of whisky. I personally just can’t appreciate them for what they are. I have respect for the art and the craft but this is whisky I wouldn’t buy or recommend ever since there is just so much better bottles out there. Disclaimer: I will stop posting tastes of these Advent Calendar samples unless I get something that is in the 3,25+ range and actually worth spending time on. In the end this calendar was a gift so I can’t really complain and it still helps to broaden your horizon and to appreciate really good whisky.

(Vita Dulcis Advent Calendar 10/24) On the nose as well as the palate it is a clear, crisp, youthful whisky, slightly acidic, raisins and bright orchard fruits, the palate is hitting very dry and hard and the finish is kinda rough as well. Feels unbalanced and somehow incomplete / unfinished - like a work in progress whisky. A bid of water tames it quite a bid and gets rid of the intense dryness while making it much more mellow and approachable. Taste wise it just isn’t my cup of tea. But I must say it becomes a bid more likable bid by bid. Verdict: not really for me but at least quite powerful and intense - the flavors are just not really compatible with my palate. Actually surprised when I found out this is a Clynelish because many like the 14y (but I assume this NAS is quite far away from the 14y age wise). I could have gotten a few more aromas and flavors (like for example soy sauce on the palate) from it if I would have given it a more in depth look, but I didn’t really bother at all about it.