Rattray's Selection Batch No. 2

Well shoot, missed being the first review and I'm SURE this is an old bottling. Sunday on a holiday weekend and ohio is kinda opening but not open. What else to do but drink all day and write up some reviews on my recent purchases? Nose - this is a fairly light and delicate nose backed by a decent abv and some thicker malt. Apples, vanilla, some slightly more sour fruity notes, light but very distinct oak, some light cinnamon/baking spices, and as I get more into it more and more spices come out. At first nosing it was a bit of a sour apple pie, but those notes have shifted into a day old cinnamon role. Each time I go back I get something similar but different in terms of these nice desserts. That said again it's delicate with some body, but it isn't rich at all. I'm not finding any distinct impact on the nose from the 6 month maturation in sherry casks but I suspect it's blending in nicely with the speyside sweet fruity character and hiding a bit in the oak. Taste - A wonderfully complex and nuanced whisky with a full spectrum of flavors and a range of experiences. At first it's somewhat sweet but muted, the older whisky is trying to come out and show itself off but it's a bit closed off, perhaps this one will open up with more time and oxidation, but it's been open a few weeks so it's had some time. Then it transitions to a bit more oak spice with cinnamon and toasted oak notes. But we're not done, the cinnamon deepends and bites down as the sweetness turns more dark fruits, perhaps hints now of the sherry as I get a light chocolate note, and then the finish is a touch sour really focusing on the back of the tongue as it creates a really different flavor, but make no mistake the oak and sweet are all still coating the rest of the mouth leaving you with a complex and highly enjoyable whisky. I do find this one a bit more spicy, drying, and perhaps heavy on oak for some drinkers. I'm not one of these, but I have had this a few times and there have been nights where I was a bit sensitive to oak bitterness and this came off pretty poor. It's a challenging dram for what I generally see as tamer malts. I'd be in the 90-91 range on this one and for me that's 4 stars. This is a great dram and well well worth the price of admission. if you see this and you're digging the bourbon maturation and oak notes with a bit of sweetness added for balance, I think this will be one for you.

Nose: sweet, powdered sugar upfront turning to caramelized sugar at the end of the inhale, vanilla, charred oak, Taste: acidic upfront (citrus? can’t pinpoint), grassy upfront if I exhale through my nose, charred oak, burnt marshmallow, smoky as it fades, earthy like beets.