Rating: 17/23 This is my last Hazelburn sample and it's notable higher proof than the others, which were all 46% ABV. I wonder why the change. N: Mmm! Rich and brimming with flavor. Malt with nuance from dirty stills and some decadent tangerine as well. It's not the most complex nose, but it's bold and enticing. A touch of smoke comes in as well. That's really about it though. P: The proof comes through, but it doesn't taste like alcohol. I get a bit of youth from this, but not a ton. The palate is absolutely packed with dried fruit; it almost makes me think it's a cognac at times. I get lots of raisin, with some apricot and cherry notes. There's plenty of dirty still character though, bringing in waxiness with a hint of dungeness crab. There are some chocolatey notes and spices as well, with hints of rich vanilla and very subdued wood in the background. The spices never really develop much character beyond a bit of burn, unfortunately, though. A somewhat mild layer of ashy smoke sits at the base of this. As much as I like the individual flavors here though, the palate as a whole doesn't quite come together. It's great, for sure, but there isn't enough going on here. F: This is a bit of a let down. I get some clear, bitter alcohol here and some of the other bitter flavors do carry through as well. A hint of ash. - Conclusion - Although I enjoy this, it gradually impresses me less and less. I would take it over Hazelburn 12 (16/23), but not by a large margin. The margin between this an Hazelburn 10 (2019) (15/23) is greater, but still not that big since I like that yeasty Gouden Carolus vibe that the Hazelburn 10 has. Bladnoch 17 California Red Wine Cask (17/23) is a little more interesting and tasty than this. It's not a big improvement, but it is one. After all of those side-by-sides, I'm thinking that this is a 16. That's a good score, but it's such a shame that this isn't better after its delightful nose. As a sanity check, I tried this against my bottle of Hazelburn 13 (2021). The 2021 is significantly more complex and balanced than this is, with none of that excessive bitterness. The 2021 really strikes me as the epitome of triple-distilled Springbank. It's certainly not a perfect dram, but I think it's what Hazelburn should really be aspiring to be. Glenfarclas 25 (23/23) is much more mature and mellow than this is. The gap isn't as large as I'd expected though. And the 2021 Hazelburn isn't standing out as much as I'd expected either. This dram appears to be growing on me again. It's still not excellent though. Comparing my final sip against the Bladnoch, I find the two much closer now. I'm going to bump this up to a 17. It's a worthy dram, just not at the prices they're asking. Thank you @pkingmartin for sharing this with me! It's definitely one of the better Hazelburns.