Shieldaig 12 Year Speyside Single Malt

I'm having some fun with 50ml samplers i purchased at Total Wine. This is sampled neat from a glencairn. The nose is very faint and nearly non descript. If I give the whisky a good swirl I'll get notes of pairs, apple and green apple, fruity plums, some briny air, & ethanol. It's certainly a speyside signature, and one that is offering some faint promise of a delicate sipper. The first sip shows this to be delicate for certain. It's quite toned back on arrival and offers just the slightest kiss of fruit. The barrel note is dry with a bitter mid palate that is just a bit softened by a lemon zest blush. All taken, this isn't half bad but it is a bit watery. There's nearly no finish, but what does feebly show up is a glow of powdered ginger that leaves a slight tingle on the back of the tongue. This drinks the 80 proof it is and not a bit more. This is a very soft and innocuous dram. I'm struggling with this one a bit. This is almost good enough to be a mixer, but I believe its just too spineless to handle anything more than a clear and bubbly soda. Certainly Dewar's 12yo is a full head and shoulders bigger in profile and depth of flavor, so that makes this an easily sippable "near" scotch for the times when the palate wants a simpler watercolor interpretation of a speyside malt. A fine choice for the whisky shy and the bite averse, but not a bottle that would entertain a spirited whisky adventurer for more than a moment.

Not bad for the budget price. A typical speyside. Honey malty thus very sweet finish. I’d buy it again.

Very good, smoothe, a tad bit sweet.