Tastes

Nose is hot, with a floral quality. Cracked pepper, nutmeg, coconut, candied pineapple, stewed apples, & menthol. More cooked tropical fruits and spice on the palate amidst the oak. Bitter barrel char, mint, pine, menthol with a slightly buttery texture. Finish is long, oaky and spicy (like cayenne spicy). There was something I couldn't quite put my finger on throughout the whole dram (to the extent that I can ever find useful words, in the first place). I liked this one a lot more than the two-year, but still a little too sweet for me, even at cask strength.

Despite the staggering proof, the whiskey reminds me of a spicy baked apple crumble: ginger, vanilla, and brown sugar on the nose. Palate is oily & sweet, with a slightly bitter undertone. Baked and stewed apples, charred sugars, ginger, cinnamon, & mint. Finish is long: sweet with cinnamon & clove, and dose of heat to remind you of the ABV.

Nose is butterscotch, peat, and a hint of earthy mushrooms from the long maturation. Oranges, pears, and soft vanilla notes. The palate was much smokier than I expected from such an old Islay malt with a slightly acrid development. Past the smokiness is a sweet palate laced with white fruit: green apples, pears, citrus, a touch of earthiness in the background, and a darker floral note. Finish is long, sustained with a soft smoke and a slight peppery medicinal bitterness. Water draws out the vanilla and citrus on the nose, bringing a creaminess to the palate. It also clarifies baking spices and reveals the earthiness shown initially on the nose

Nose is bright fruit, citrus, and a hint of smoldering seaweed ash. Palate is chewy, oily, & vicious with a slightly sour, yeasty note that melds into the tropical fruit. Finish is beautiful, long, reminiscent of smoke, with a salty brine to it.