Tastes

Fruity and floral, with Asian pear and perhaps pineapple on the backend. The mouthfeel is oily and fantastic, with allspice on the finish. You don't want to leave me unattended with this bottle.

Highlands have never really been my thing, but I have to admit I have a soft spot for Tullibardine - they make great stuff. This one doesn't disappoint: apples, vanilla, and cinnamon enveloped in faintly charred oak. It's almost a timid bourbon, except with really strong notes of barley.

If you're ever in one of those Neo/Morpheus moments, with the bottle on your left being the Bourbon Cask Strength and the one on your right being the Sherry, pick this one. It's delicious! Admittedly the nose is one-dimensional, though someone with an X-Men mutation may encounter barley and yeast. It's basically floral. In your mouth you come across grapefruit and hazelnut – it's very good but not great. As for the finish… Picture a virgin on his honeymoon.

A nose that is both honeyed and floral, with a palate rich in pears and ginger. It's pleasant, although the finish is a bitter pill to swallow. Literally. It's alright.

While others experienced raisins, I found the fruity elements to resemble nail polish - really not my thing. There's also hints of toasted barley, like oatmeal, with a body that is light and fragile. This is not, IMHO, a very good dram.

I'm rating this expression four stars , but it nearly merits five - my sole criticism here is that it lacks a certain maturity, manifesting itself with a certain raw and off note. The sherry influence isn't just prominent here. It's completely dominant, giving you the impression that the spirit was infused with actual raisins. It's wonderful, and compliments the additional notes of cinnamon and wood spice. This one's worth your time.

Unless you have a bottle and can experiment, save yourself to grief and add some water, because the high ABV here takes away from the profile. Regardless, I am of the opinion that this expression is one of the rare cases where the cask strength version is less pleasant than its weaker sibling. Despite this, we still have a great whisky here. Vanilla, cinnamon, barley, pineapple... It's all there in spades, and for the most part quite balanced. There's a certain je ne sais quoi missing, but it's largely forgivable … that is until you remember how much you paid for the dram.

A wonderful dram with strong notes of tropical fruits, like mango and papaya. And though a tad harsh on the finish, the lightly toasted barley, vanilla, and honey on the palate makes this whisky a worthy item in any serious collection.

Unbelievable whisky, with a flavorful profile that is predominantly sherried until you reach the finish, where strong vanilla notes reminiscent of a Bourbon cask come through. There's orange marmalade and figs coupled with cinnamon and dark chocolate, both on the nose and palate. It's incredibly balanced and well-crafted, with a finish that is quite prolonged and smooth in a way that only a perfect dram could be. I have sampled over 300 whiskies - this one is among the five best!

I'm supposed to review this expression? What hubris... Does one review the Mona Lisa? Or the Sistine Chapel? It is perfect. That is all.