Paul John Nirvana Single Malt

Sweet earthy nose, sweet honey on the tongue, young fresh barley finish.

N: Lychee in fruit syrup. Seriously. Something herbal, even bordering on medicinal, in it. Citrus zest pops with a hard swirl. Ripe fruits follow, a little strawberry, pear, maybe peach. And then lychee slaps you in the face again like walking the dessert lane at a Chinese buffet. P: Fruity and crisp, yet still plenty sweet. The ripe fruits and citrus all kinda get thrown in a blender. Maybe one lychee on top for good measure, but more subdued on the palate. There's an indistinct yeasty, bready flavor that shifts to a light spice finish that's somewhere between cinnamon and ginger. Slick, coating, slightly oily mouthfeel. And a lingering bitterness that's almost hop-like, but also gives that tannic pucker in the cheeks. Do you know that moment before the orchestra starts playing and all the musicians are warming up, playing their own notes, and then the conductor signals and those disparate tunes merge into one cohesive sound? This is like that, but with no conductor to give the signal, so it's dissonance on repeat. Honestly, that's not so bad - interesting things happen - but it's not so good either. It's no symphony. Worth the adventure if you like it fruity.

I am not a Scotch fan. This is light and has a hint of that Scotch flavor from the malt but without that peat that I don’t like. Light and a good value.

Aroma is basic but interesting, it shows a bit of youth and raw malt character but not in a cloying new make way (though their new make is pretty good); Palate is less sweet and less farmy than aroma but it’s no less interesting; Finish is warm but short and I really wish it would stay around longer. All-in-all it’s a nicely-executed basic whisky, which is exactly what it’s meant to be.

Pretty tasty for a minimum proof whisky, with distinct milk chocolate and malt flavors. I hope this makes its way to bars (remember them?) as it would be a good value pour.

Online drammers club pour. American White Oak Barrels, above ground cellar, angels share 8-10%, 3-4 years old Nose: Honey, Lemon, Orange, Caramel, Guava, Passion Fruit, Pineapple, Vanilla Custard, Mango, Flowers Palate: Orange, Cherry, Caramel, Honey, Vanilla, Dried Fruit, Apricot Finish: Vanilla Custard, Orange, Lemon, Caramel Nice easy drinker, would work great in cocktails.