Tastes

This brings to mind a man walking on the beach just before sunset. There's a whiff of cold, fresh sea air teasing his nostrils, alongside all kinds of subtle aromas from the restaurants on the boulevard. He looks alone to the ignorant. But it's alright, for he has this whisky to keep him company, patiently sitting in a diligent flask he got from an old friend. He's not the same man as he was before, but luckily, this whisky still is.

I'm... estranged. Which is good! There's this rich, sweet, creamy chocolate note that everyone mentions and it is spot on. Other than that, not very much is going on. It's thus not the most complex, but not every girl you meet needs to be your future wife. Sometimes, it's fun to just fool around with a girl that has something special that you won't forget anytime soon.

Its golden hue suggest standard honey-vanilla notes, but it's far more unusual than I expected. I was fooled by the cute bottle. I smell virgin oak, unsweetened pineapple juice, heather, and some smoke so subtle it might as well be Scotland fog. The palate is equally interesting: very smooth and silky but much less sweet than I was led to believe. Earthy, woody finish. Pretty fun stuff, all in all!

This expression is a power couple, a fantastic combination of peat and sherry. The peat subdues the cloying stickiness of sherried whisky, and the sherry moderates the taste of manure that peated whisky expresses (which sometimes is pleasant, but it's a niche). The result is this smoky yet sweet, earthy yet silky whisky.

Cheap, predictable and it gets you where you need to be. Like an Opel. Having said that, I like the sweet softness on the palate and the hazelnut and dark spices on the finish. From all the <20 euro whiskys I've had, this is one of the more enjoyable ones.

Have a special bottling of this called "2004 vintage". It is 11 years old, matured in special hogshead casks, and bottled at cask strength. Exported exclusively for the Dutch market, so you'll probably won't find. Neat, it's a sherry bomb, leaving no room for subtleties. When water is added, the sherry leaves behind its arrogant dominance and leaves room for honey, vanilla, and the darkest of chocolate. Pretty fun whisky to try, but I've had much better whisky for this price (70 euros).

I'd knock a guy's front teeth out for this. Subdued smoke, brine and earth on the nose, accompanied by Lady Speyside; honey and vanilla. Taste is something sweet, salty and silky, like licorice and pine nuts. Finish is a wonderful combination of pepper, peat, and smoke, like Talisker and Caol Ila making out. Cheerful and delicious, like Can't Take My Eyes of You from Frankie Valli.

A fun, cheeky whisky: seductive smell of smoke, salt, vanilla and red fruit. Tastes bold, with more red fruit (think dark, succulent fruit like cherries), pepper, and smoke, in that order. Very nice, but its youth shows: notes are too separated, and they leave rather quick like a rude dinner guest. Would be top shelf material with a few extra years.