Antiquary 12 Year

특별한 맛은 모르겠고 무난 데일리샷 45,300원

Nose: Honey, malt loaf, baking spices. Very light Palate: Oak, dusty, dry brandy, apples, pears, floral, caramel Finish: Medium long finish. Oak and caramel, sweet (but strangely drying). Citrus and candied fruit on the aftertaste. A nice, if unremarkable, easy drinking dram. Slightly unusual, in that it has a drier note than many blends, although it is still a fairly sweet whisky.

Nose: Cream, egg nog, prunes, raisins, ginger candy, brown butter Palate: Big milk cholocate Finish: Short with soft caramel, ending quite abruptly

I bought The Antiquary Blended Scotch Whisky for the bottle and label design alone. To no one's surprise, I went weak in my knees for its Victorian font and the embossed geometric cut bottle sealed the deal. This 12 year old offering has a faint scent of whispering smoke over salted caramel. The nose does deepen slightly over time with honey, barley and light mustiness. While neat, I'm struck by a similar savory-sweet tango dancing in front of a background of gentle pepper and peat. I enjoy its smooth, medium bodied mouthfeel. That main flavour disappears quickly amidst a moderate length, drying finish of subtle oak and fruit salad. Like when a great song abruptly changes when you're dancing with the perfect partner, it's a bit disappointing. This feels like an "easy" whisky for folks who would prefer less intrusive flavours and finishes. I'd consider this as a sweet-inspired inexpensive weeknight dram that grows on you while you drink it. The Antiquary's bottle is a striking addition to a bar, but I wish the top had a cork rather than a twist top with plastic insert pourer. Have you tried this fancy looking bottle? 7/10

Smoky, peaty, my personal favourite.

Cordon noir paired with Ciglo 1