Similar to my review of the Glenmorangie Lasanta, this spirit was another throwback to my earlier wine making days, only more so. The ruby port cask finish on this 12 year old is superb. When making Zinfandel wine, we would crush the grapes into a 50 gallon wine barrel opened on one end. This would ferment for a week during which time we would continue to push the floating skins back into the juice to extract the pigment. This juice would then be moved into a fresh barrel and combined with any remaining fluid gleaned from the pressed skins. The now empty barrel would exude the sweet aroma of red grapes and fresh alcohol to produce a divine concoction best experienced with a 10-second plunge of the head. The intensity of this experience is unforgettable and not something reproducible in a Glencairn®, but the nose on the Quinta Ruban is certainly good enough to bring back these memories. The dried glass will also produce the scent of old oak from a previously used wine barrel. At 46% ABV, it moves over the tongue with ease displaying a viscosity and burn factor that seems lighter than it should. It delivers a zesty fruitiness that comes across sweeter, and less dry than the Lasanta, but this extra boldness is befitting what was anticipated on the first sniff. The finish is smooth, pleasant and moderate in length. Overall, the fruitiness overpowers whatever else might be produced by way of American oak and malted barley, but that’s ok because it’s Easter, and this was the date when the new wine was ready for service. I would rate this whisky close to 4 stars, but its one dimensionality has it falling short. It’s a great whisky for the right mood!