Note - I'm doing the Really Good Whisky Company Advent Calendar. I've also decided to pour these whiskeys "blind" (or at least as blind as I can), then providing nose, palate, and finish notes. I'll then look at the label, proof, cask type, etc. before writing my other notes. I'll be providing some guesses around things like proof and cask type and then seeing how much I missed the mark. Slàinte Mhath! Nose: Salted caramel, bitter chocolate. Vanilla. Floral, citrus oils and pith. Some oak character. Definitely a single malt. Speyside? Berries, malt, and honey. Going to guess around 55%+ abv. 10-15 years? Ex-bourbon? Plums, figs, raisins. Nutmeg and black pepper. Not crazy, just a pleasant, subtle experience. Palate: Plenty of oak here - bitey. Guessing some sherry cask is involved, too, since there's a musty red fruit character. Black pepper, baking spices. Grilled under-ripe nectarines. Olives - green and black. Cherries, chocolate, and over-roasted coffee beans. Great balance between flavors, everything is just turned up to 11. Coats the whole palate and unfolds beautifully. Medium-heavy mouthfeel. Finish: Big rush of ethanol and oak, followed very quickly by dark fruits. Maple syrup and berry pie filling wash over, and then espresso joins in. Barrel char is evident, along with some over-roasted peanuts. A little mint, citrus oil, and floral perfume become apparent, and that's what we fade out on. Long length. Other notes: Didn't get region, only partially got cask (there isn't any ex-bourbon), off a bit on abv, and only partially got age. And I'm perfectly fine with that! I like this. Quite a bit. The rich, dense sweetness layered with the potent oak at a high ABV is excellent. Sherry casks can sometimes turn things into overly sweet, sulphur-forward funk bombs, but that's not the case here. The flavors are all well integrated and you can still tell there's a malt whisky in there. And as a proof hound, getting this at 61% makes me even happier. This would make an excellent dessert whisky. Another one to add to the list of things I may actually try to find a bottle of. This advent has been a total blast. I've learned a lot about my own palate, preferences, and experienced a lot of things I wouldn't have tried either due to accessibility or preferences. While my preferences are still toward Bourbon and Islay, I am much more open to others than I was beforehand. It was also a lot of fun to exercise my palate and see how well I'm able to pick apart certain attributes. I'm excited to do this again next year and see how my performance compares. As a palate development tool, blind tastings are killer - I high recommend it. Thanks for joining me on this ride. Until next time, cheers!