Review #095 Type: single malt scotch Proof: 47.6% Comments: aged 32 years, distillery release #3, comprised of 95% refill bourbon hogsheads and 5% refill sherry butts Tasted after: first up Appearance (no score): Pale gold color. Swirling reveals a thick line sticking to the side of the glass, legs are slow to form. Nose: 17/20 this is the very definition of a light and floral nose. It’s all orchard fruit, comprised of fresh apples, honey, blossom, and brown pears if I had to sum it up in a word, I’d choose “crisp”. in the background, there’s hints of fresh mint, dried apricots, and honey. There’s also a dash of salt, or rather a distinct minerality that’s not quite salty. Overall, a very inviting those with promises of great things to come. Palate: 33/40 On the first sip, it’s surprisingly bland. It’s extremely smooth with a nice oily mouth. Feel an absolutely no bite. This is the complete opposite of “hot”. If you let it sit on your tongue for a few seconds and swish it around your mouth, it begins to unfold and reveal itself. Flavors of honey, mixed nuts, and herbal tea stand out most. there’s flavors of other fruits hidden here as well, but not discernible in a traditional sense. Imagine taking peaches, apricots, and oranges, then mashing those up and thoroughly diluting them. The flavors aren’t just subtle, they come across as watered-down. Finish: 30/40 Medium finish. It10 kicks off with that minerality from the nose, coupled with bitter white grape skins. There’s also more subtle flavors of coffee grounds and fresh cut grass intermingled. Not at all sweet and rather static, the profile doesn’t really change much, rather it just slowly fades away leaving a mildly bitter taste on the tongue. With Water: Did not have an opportunity to try adding water. Total: 80/100 Final thoughts: The flavor has depth without being very complex. It’s a really nice easy drinking spirit with a beautiful balance between flavorful and smooth. We all know the type of easy-sipper that seemingly puts a hole in the glass, and just disappears, and this perfectly fits that profile. It’s good, but I don’t think it transcends to great, even though I want it to be more because of how expensive it is. For £30, I’m glad my brother and I each had the opportunity to try this after visiting the distillery, but I fear that the bottle ends up grouped into the same category of many other expensive whiskies I’ve tried that just aren’t worth the price. Very happy to have collaborated with my brother @Mark-Watson2 on these tasting notes while we were in Scotland together. Price: £30 (15ml sample) Would recommend: no Would buy: no Scoring Legend: 96-100: The perfect dram, absolutely exceptional, nectar of the gods, I will savor this bottle and make it last, 5 stars. 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky, 4.75 stars. 85-89: Very good to amazing, almost the complete product, 4.5 stars. 80-84: Quite good, very enjoyable to drink, but doesn’t wow me, 4.25 stars. 75-79: Good, enjoyable but ultimately flawed, unlikely to purchase again, 4 stars. 70-74: A solid dram, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it, 3.75 stars. 55-69: Drinkable, 3.5-2.75 stars. Below 55: Suitable for cooking or direct contribution to the kitchen sink drain, 2.5 stars or less.