Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve

A bar midge (or an insect of some minute description) decided he had had enough of life and promptly committed Hari Kari in my dram. Wasn't sure if that was a good omen or not, like a bird pooping on your head (I once had a bird take a flying dump in my face, I bought a lotto ticket and didn't win so myth busted!). Anyhow after fishing it out the sampling commenced. Nose was faint caramel, sherry, toffee. Now I haven't had to strain quite as hard since last week when after one stodgy meal too many...anyhow I did get flavour and eventually it opened up (as far as a Dalmore ever will) and.. it was nice! Not $120USD nice I'll buy a bottle type thing but I like it. The nose translates to the palate, lovely viscosity, alcohol well balanced and if I hadn't given up smoking New Years Eve in Peru a decade ago (karma came back to bite me) I'd be reaching for a cigar. First Macallan now Dalmore aghh all my preconceptions are being shattered. Solid 4

Nose - Sharp sweet dried red fruits, vanilla simple, meaty/salty/savory mushroom funk Taste - Rich red fruits, hints of banana, cinnamon heat, toffee/caramel sweet, savory salty grilled mushroom on the back palate Finish - Light cinnamon spice heat, salty/savory umami notes, dried red berry sweet, lingering red berry waxy fruit snack sweet Score - 65/100 Final Thoughts - So initial impression on the nose is that this is a nice pleasant red berry sweet, but then I get hit with this odd salty/savory meaty mushroomy funk. Threw me off a bit so I took a sip and same thing happened where I get this pleasant red berry, caramel sweetness that suddenly turns into this odd salty/savory mushroom funk. Same on the finish. Normally I enjoy sweet & savory notes, but for some reason this didn't really work together at all. It seemed very off balance and overly salty. I'm not sure if I got a bad bottle, but the cork seemed just fine. Would I drink it if offered? - No Would I specifically order it? - No Would I buy a bottle? - No