Review #43 - Whisk(e)y #29 Bought in Budapest Airport in a 50ml bottle, on offer with the Meukow VSOP 50ml for 7 euros the pair, which seems like a very good deal for trying out a whisky. The whisky is a pale golden colour, with a relatively oily-viscuous texture in the glass, with medium length legs. Nose - alcohol is quite prominent together with some oak-peppery spice, while the whisky also shows a malty, fruity sweetness, as it is the flavour blueprint for Glenfiddich. Palate - tastes young, having a strong unbalanced peppery spice on the front end, being unrefined and with a proeminent effervescence. Subsequently it starts to show more of the malty sweetness, along with fresh fruit (apples and pears). Finish - short, perhaps short-medium, spicy, slightly woody-dry, nothing special. On the after-taste though it shows some more pleasant aromas, perhaps some subtle dried fruit, a very slight bitterness and a late floral note. Overall it is not a bottle I would buy, especially given the price in the 40-65 euros range per liter...the Glenfiddich 12 is cheaper, and much more balanced, complex and refined than this VAT 01, while also featuring a higher age of the whisky itself. Rating System: 5.0 - Perfect 4.5 - Exceptional 4.0 - Very Good 3.5 - Good 3.0 - Decent 2.5 - Average 2.0 - Below Average 1.5 - Barely Drinkable 1.0 - Undrinkable 0.5 - JB