North Star Series 15 and 16 tasting, The Oak Barrel, Sydney, 9 March 2022. Whisky #7 Nose: Rocks lashed by sea-spray, kelp, plastic flotsam on a gravel strand. White pepper, citrus peel, raspberry, vanilla bean and sooty smoke on a briny breeze. Palate: Sweet, creamy and smoky fruit arrival (grilled orange segments on a warm flan). The peat-reek is earthy to begin with but gains a briny quality and a touch of iodine as the palate develops. Black cherry clafoutis, cranberry sauce, blackberry jam. The texture is buttery. Finish: Medium. Sweet, peaty and briny. A fine whisky and certainly sweeter than official bottlings of Caol Ila, but for all its interesting qualities it is up against tough competition. However it is the equal of many of the fine independent expressions that derive from this distillery. The sweetness and jammy notes are coming from the ruby port octaves in the vatting and there is sweet vanilla from the bourbon wood as well. It is a skillful and nuanced combination. The whisky is good neat and very good with water. When diluted I’d almost add another half-point to my rating, taking it up to excellent. Dilution damages nothing but contributes integration and softness. At the reasonable asking price I’d call it value for money. “Very Good” : 85/100 (4 stars)