robertmaxrees
Reviewed
September 17, 2020 (edited November 12, 2020)
Nose: Slightly smoked salmon, brine. Cereal grain, honey, black pepper. Camphor, slight phenol. Green apple and grape. Slight overcooked caramel, browned butter. Faint soft fruits. Smoke and earth, but understated.
Palate: Vanilla, brown sugar, faint oak. The bourbon cask is evident in the best way possible. Smoked meat. Mint, camphor, slight phenol. Fennel, arugala, faint canned black olives. Earthy peat and smoke. Under-ripe banana. Tannic black tea - over-steeped. Palate properly balanced to the style - not a bunch of lower palate but I'm not missing it here. Medium-light mouthfeel.
Finish: Pop of ethanol, mint, honey, and vanilla. Cream. Things shift and the fruit takes a backseat to fennel, anise, and a touch of oak - maybe even charred. Some citrus oil comes out, along with tannic bitterness (with just a hint of texture) - there's that over-steeped black tea note again. Medium length finish.
Other notes: I jumped into the deep end orignally, seeking out peat and aggression. A friend (older and much wiser than I) suggested I give this a try quite a while back and I've loved it ever since. The modest level of peat means that I can introduce almost anybody to this stuff and while they may be initially taken aback, they find this approachable and - often - enjoyable. If you're used to your Highlands or Speysides, your Japanese or higher-end Irish, or you like a solid mid-range bourbon, this is an easy suggestion for your first peated expression. Even better, because of how excellently crafted it is, being both complex and sublte, you'll enjoy coming back to it. I know I do.