Glenglassaugh tasting evening, Sydney, Feb 19th. Whisky #2 Nose: Malt, cereal grains and cider vinegar (rather like fermenting wash). Dark honey and caramel. A dusty sawdust note along with a grape and red-fruit presence. There's a heaviness to the nose but also an astringent tang. Palate: A resilient grassy arrival. Dark grains, semi-sweet nutty flavours, nutmeg. As it develops a spicy note grows with a warm ginger and cinnamon character, but the heat is controlled. A flavour of tart fruit like sour cherries also emerges. A dash of water emphasises the spice, taking it to more of a white pepper character. A slight tannic bitterness. Finish: Medium. Cereal and spice fade out into a faint bitter aftertaste. There is a definite red wine presence on both the nose and palate, but it's more in the background than the foreground, which remains distinctly malty. Coming back to this after tasting some of the later whiskies I noticed the sharp harshness of the profile. Water opens this whisky up slightly, but on the whole achieves little. Not much else to say - this was by far the least interesting whisky of the night, and a long step down after the excellent first dram (Evolution). I certainly wouldn't buy a bottle. "Adequate" : 74/100 (2.25 stars)