The Wild Rover High N' Wicked

Nose is soft and inviting with dark honey, vanilla bean, caramel chew candy, furniture varnish, new leather, black licorice, moss, and a hint of oak. Ethanol is pleasantly low. Palate opens with candied pear, honey, plum, hibiscus, citrus, and raisin. Heather, apple, and fig in the mid palate. Bright and bold. Complex but with a bit of a sharp, youngish taste. Flavors land solely on the front and sides of the tongue. Finish offers lots of anise, pepper, and chocolate malt, and astringent oak. Prickly heat. Mouthfeel is oily and medium bodied. I appreciated the boldness and complexity offered here, but there are some notable flaws and it lacks smoothness and refinement. At $50 this wouldn’t be an issue. At $160? It’s a huge problem. Jesus the Irish whiskies I could buy for that price that bury this (notably the “Breasts” and “Spots”) are plentiful. Hard pass on the rebuy.

Tried at the speak easy with @Looneyhead Notes of sherry, barley, grain, cherry, slight robitussin, smoke tobacco.

Rich, brandy-like nose of grape, toffee, sherry cask, vanilla, chocolate, figs, herbal mint and charcoal. Sweet and slightly peppery on the palate, with flavors of chocolate, sherry, oak, caramel, stone fruit, orange flesh and toffee. Quite smooth for the proof. Solid, interesting stuff. This has to be the most sherry-forward whisky of any kind that I’ve experienced. On the palate it’s a single malt heavily influenced by the wine. On the nose I’d almost guess it’s a single malt/cognac blend.