Nose: Pungent malt extract, rubber tyres, charred wood, dried dates and figs, orange liqueur. Palate: Thin and surprisingly weak on the arrival. A little bitter and over-oaked with a distinct cardboard note. A semi-sweet jam or jelly flavour like cranberries, sweetened sour cherries, dark grapes or raisins. You definitely taste the wine cask. There is some mild spice (ginger, pepper) and a dusky, leafy flavour. The texture is acceptable but a little thin. Finish: Medium/short. Sweet and spicy with oak and a hint of ashen or smokey malt in the aftertaste. The nose is huge with a dense, rich quality but unfortunately it lacks grace. The prominent rubbery aromas approach those of hogo in Jamaican rum and could be described as either “bold” or “clumsy” depending on the individual doing the tasting. It’s not a bad nose, but it’s not elegant by any stretch of the imagination. The palate is less boisterous than the nose but it goes too far in the opposite direction, veering into sweet blandness. The cardboard note is off-putting and suggests an overly wide cut, but I don’t think that is the cause. It’s more likely that the casks are showing lignin breakdown. There is a point at which maturation reaches its apex and a whisky can degrade quickly past that stage. This may have been better if bottled as a 16 year old. Water improved the nose a good deal, muting the rubbery aromas, but it made the palate seem confused and anaemic, which further confirms the over-aged theory. It’s not a bad whisky but an event tasting was enough to convince me that I don’t need a bottle, particularly at the price. Although this is listed as AUD$117 that is for a 500ml bottle and the equivalent for 700ml would be $165. There is an almost endless list of far superior whiskies at that price. My taste #4 at the Sydney Whisky Show, 15 May 2021 “Adequate” : 73/100 (2.25 stars)