Tastes

Dry sweet smoke and menthol — surprisingly smoky in fact. It’s a little sharp and thin on first sip, but elements of lemon emerge before the smoke returns to underscore the long finish. Intriguing, but I’m not sure it has much to show for its 18 years. A touch of sherry influence might have added the complexity to make this really sing.

Rich flavors of sherry and toffee. Easier to drink than the ABV suggests, but the strength obscures any complexity. An aftertaste of burnt sugar. No doubt needs more exploration than my small sample provided, but I’ll probably pass on the opportunity given my apathy for cask strength bottlings.

This was the highlight of the new whiskies I tasted at a Macallan/Highland Park/Glenrothes event tonight, surpassed only by the previously tasted Edition 2. There’s a complex nose of pine, lemon, eucalyptus and fresh oak. I got flavors of green apple in the mouth and a long finish that builds to a sweet crescendo with a dash of ginger. Worthy of more investigation than my small sample allowed.

A bouquet of pears and custard. There’s a surprising amount of peat influence on first sip, but it fades into crisp and clean flavors with hints of apple. A very long finish of pepper with a dash of bitter oak and a slice of lemon. Fruity and refreshing.

Introduces itself with the most delicious aromas of coffee cake drizzled with caramel sauce. Explore and you’ll find hints of peanut skins too. The taste evolves to bitter orange rind covered in dark chocolate, with an undercurrent of zesty nutmeg. I had originally marked this as a five when I tasted it in a bar at the start of the year, but I didn’t quite taste perfection when I opened a bottle at home last night. The middle is a little frustrating: some sips deliver caramel, others feel a little thin. Nevertheless, it’s a classy whisky that will be missed and I’m happy to have stashed away a couple of bottles after Pulteney announced its discontinuation.

A rather austere, serious whisky. It introduces itself with notes of pine and sea spray, then hints of caramel as it opens up. The taste conjures up a sense of reading old books while drinking lemon cordial (as one does). The finish is long and peppery — there’s an Islay blend in the mix — with a pleasant dose of tannins pulling everything to a tight conclusion.

Minty peat and heather on the nose. Soft and sweet on the tongue. Long zesty finish of pepper, bitter chocolate and tangy grapefruit. Easy drinking with just enough peat to wake the taste buds. It’s a little watery in the mouth to warrant a full bottle in my cabinet but enjoyable enough that I’d happily order it at a bar or give as a gift. I’ve rated it three stars, but it’s at least a 3.5.