Nose: Polished floorboards, waxed wardrobes, cigar boxes and cedar chests. An intensely cask-driven nose. Beneath the wood veneer you find a hidden compartment containing dried fruits, walnut liqueur, chocolate toffee and coffee beans. There is a wisp of ethanol from the grain whisky that slices through the heavier aromas. When watered the nose becomes much softer but be careful as it can drown in the blink of an eye. Palate: A semi-sweet but astringent entry with bright citric spice notes. It’s almost like barley sugar sprinkled with orange oil and crystals of citric acid, it’s so sharp. Tannin suddenly emerges in the mid palate accompanied by toffee, brown sugar, hot cinnamon, ginger and white pepper. Fruity oloroso sherry notes come through next and the texture is waxy (but the palate is so forceful you almost don’t notice it). Water softens the palate but the tingle of tannic spice is still present with dilution. Finish: Long. Spicy and lingering with sour apple and bitter marmalade. Tannins prickle the tongue well into the aftertaste, which is drying but just on the good side of bitter. A very big, loud, blended scotch that is a million miles away from the introductory bottlings of Dewers, Johnnie Walker, Ballantine and their ilk. However I would not call this an “old-school” blend with a soft character. It is far too extroverted and intense and bears no resemblance whatsoever to something like Old Parr, Haig Gold Label or Nevis Dew. The closest blend I can think of is Black Bull, but that has a more rounded profile and is not nearly as tannic. The nose is not unlike that of a malt whisky, the only thing betraying its nature as a blended scotch being raw, thin alcohol from the grain whisky component, but it’s not at all intrusive. The palate is big and bold with an aggressive thread to its character and for all its forceful personality it feels a little young. You can enjoy this whisky neat but I’d recommend ice and a splash of water or club soda. It responds well to dilution, the bright tannic notes preserving its balance at lower strength. It’s not my favourite upper-shelf blend but I’m certainly enjoying it, however I think this bottle will be enough and I probably won’t replace it once it is done. Then again, having written that I’ve just poured another dram. Hmm. “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)