Smell: The oloroso notes are the first to come in. There are nuts, chocolate and vineous notes first. At the same time, you have quite a bit of dill and mint. On the back end you have some of those pink peppermint candies. WITH WATER: Dill is down, chocolate is up. A lot more sweet overall, even some light prunes.
Taste: Chocolate, nuts are wine like characteristics are first to come, like in the smell. Not a lot of fruits at all. The dill is also quite strong and kind of clashes with the sweet notes. WITH WATER : Similarly as with the smell, the dill is dialed way down, as well as the mint. You're left with a lot more chocolate, cinnamon, nuts, leather, pepper, prunes.
Finish: The peppermint and dill holds on for a good long time. Then there are cinnamon and cloves notes, a little bit dusty. There isn't enough sweet notes in the finish to balance the dill. WITH WATER: It's mostly chocolate, cinnamon, pepper, oak (a lot of tannins).
Mouthfeel: Medium body but with strong oiliness. WITH WATER: A lot less oiliness.
Overall: Just like with the No 2, this one borderline REQUIRES water to fully express. I know it's not common with American-styled whiskies but here it works wonders to balance out the dill which is much too strong at first. It would have been a 3.00, but it gets bumped half a point with water.
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