Tastes

Dark, viscous and brooding in the glass. Earthy, raisin aromas. Explodes in the mouth with a burst of devilish smoke and heavenly minced fruit. The embers glow sweetly while you contemplate your next sip. A dash of water reveals figs and black grapes on the nose, tames the brimstone, and exposes some drying tannins on the finish. Fiendishly good.

First point: It's crazy that this travel retail "exclusive" costs 140 pounds duty free at Heathrow but only 92 pounds including tax at Master of Malt. Second point: It's frustrating that a non-limited NAS bottling can cost so much more than the celebrated Talisker 18 while disclosing almost nothing about its composition. Neist Point: It's delightful that this yummy dram goes down like a silkier, smoother, more honeyed riff on the 10-year. Damn the pricing and the packaging -- can I have some more?

Yes, it lives up to the hype. While I didn't get much on the nose besides a delicate lemon scent, there's a whole fruit bowl of citrus in the satisfyingly viscous palate. And wow, that finish. It goes on and on, fades, and then returns, like a trick ending to a song. Picked up a bottle for 35 pounds in the UK but seems to be going for $75 in the US.

Figuring it was time to expand my tastes from the islands, I decided to dive into an exploration of Springbank with this bottle that I discovered neglected at a Total Wine. The nose was very promising: big peat but with delicate undertones of heather. It started out nicely in the mouth too with a good balance of peat and sweetness, but faded out too quickly to discern more specific flavors. Unfortunately there was a slightly metallic aftertaste, a discordant note given the balance of flavors leading up to it. A disappointing experience that didn't live up to the ratings here or my excitement in finding a dusty bottle of this discontinued edition, but I plan to try other bottles from the distillery. What should I try next, Springbank fans?

Given the perfection of the caramel flavors on the 12-year-old, it's questionable whether a few extra years in sherry barrels can improve things. And indeed it's hard to argue that this is a better bottle. The honey notes are more emphasized -- candied nuts come to mind -- and the finish unreels like a fishing line hooked in a deep-sea catch. The spiciness of the barrels is pronounced but there's a somewhat astringent note at the end. Complex and intriguing, it's worth investigating, but you're more likely to come back for its younger sibling.

I think they lost their compass making this. Perfectly drinkable but a step down from the 12,

Amanda's review is spot on: this is an even-keeled dram that smoothly navigates the tides of Scotch flavors. The golden color and silky mouthfeel are delightful and it dissolves in the mouth like a caramel, without ever getting too sweet. The wood comes through with a spicy tingle that's more teasing than challenging. It's a bargain at the price, a perfect gift for the Scotch-curious, and I can happily envisage it becoming my go-to dram in leaner times.