Rating: 14/23
N: This definitely smells younger than Opthimus 21. I'm really confused because it was the same price and battled in the same year, but this smells less complex and mature. There's a bit more of an alcohol bite to the tartness and less of a richness (less from the nuts too).
P: More heat than the 21 has. It's sweet and the flavors are good, but there isn't much happening here. I get the same nuttiness and tartness like oloroso but also more of a youthful spicy prickliness. The tannins are moderate, but the 21 had super soft tannins, so that's a step down. I do get some peanut richness and sweetness, but it's fairly flat.
F: Sweet, rich, peanut, some alcohol. Not much happening here, but it isn't bad.
- Conclusion -
This one strikes me as not quite a sipper. It isn't bad, but it's just OK. It's also not punchy enough to be a mixer. I just wouldn't recommend it unless you find it cheap. I have no idea why this bar has it priced the same as the 21, but this is certainly not the same spirit and this is lower in quality. A lot lower. Instead of a 16 to 27, this is more like a 13 to 14. The 21 isn't entirely mature, but this isn't mature at all. The tannins are also stronger and more numbing here.
This can have its 14 for some of its nice flavors and decent complexity, but the balance is off and it tastes young (the alcohol even shows through). I still think it deserves that 14, but barely.
56.0
USD
per
Bottle
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