Cragganmore 12 Year

Finally time to start cracking into some unopened bottles in the collection before my wife starts counting them. Single malt showdown: Auchentoshan 12, Cragganmore 12 and Nikka Miyagikyo. All tasted in glen cairn glass and rested for about 30 minutes. Next up is Cragganmore (or less): Nose: Honey and mead, not really much else that I could detect. They say the most complex aroma of any malt on the box, which confuses me. If anything it seems like the least complex that I've come across. Palate: Oily and thick mouthfeel. Interestingly it's mostly malty, with some grain and only a hint of honey. No smoke or bitterness that I can detect. There is some complexity here, but it certainly isn't earth-shattering. I think the marketers at Diagio might be sniffing their own farts a little too much with this one. Finish: Short and back to the honey with increasing sweetness. Don't get me wrong, I like the super honey aroma and overall this is a solid if unspectacular dram. I guess I was expecting the nose to make me question my own existence or something with the way they talked it up. Will come back to it in a few months and see if it's turned into anything more than just a bee's wet dream. Final results of the showdown: 1st place: Miyagikyo 2nd place: Auchentoshan 12 3rd place: Cragganmore 12