A curious mixture with hints of Japanese oak (from the cask heads?) and a bourbony hickory edge. [Palate] Rich and rousing; sweet, flushed with maize and a silky body, almost verging on Demerara. Honeyed and revelling in its bourbon theme; vanilla layers, again with a deep, delicious touch of molasses. Make no mistake, this grain is as entertaining as any malt. Those loving high class bourbon will be thrilled. (JM)
This must be the bargain of the century! This is a truly awesome nose. Very woody and so heavily spiced it’s untrue. The aromas are so dark and treacly with lashing of mature honey and liquorice. Being a vatting I would guess that there is a large dollop of mature spirits on display here, but the late vanilla oak keeps it all in check and balances it rather nicely. The palate opens up quiet softly, almost deceptively so and then........... whoosh – Wood tannins, orange, dark fruit, liquorice and exotic spices arrive like a bullet train hitting the tongue. Amazing balance and hugely spicy. Although it’s bottled at cask strength the alcohol is definitely not intrusive.
A drop of water definitely tames the beast pushing the spicy wood notes to the background and allowing the most gloriously, luscious orange fruit to shine. If you are at all unsure as to the quality of Japanese malt whisky, then buy this! You will not regret it!
Clean, deeper, more intense aromas of darkly honied fruit, marzipan, smoky liquorice infused orange fruit and distant coastal bomfires ? fantastic, very complex, balanced, polished and smooth. Quite oily on the palate with liquid honey fruit followed by waves of briny peat, phenolics and tangy fruit. Sweet malt and liquorice descends into a crisp, smoky, coastal finish. Superb balance, nice sweetness, very long and harmonious.
Firm vanilla gives an oaky lead. Light and malty with lots of vanilla and a dash of honey. This is quite a light malt that appears heavier than it actually is with an almost imperceptible oiliness. (JM)
Clean, rich, fruity and very complex. Gentle peat mingles with pure apricot and mandarins in fruit juice, moist honey, gentle oak, sweet vanilla and earthy malt. Lovely balanced nose with layers of honied fruit and a granity freshness. Sweet entry with loads of soft honied fruit, gentle peat and smoke which really kicks in on the middle. Superb length with the fruit backing up the peat. Very long and harmonious with a touch of liquorice on the finish.
Batch 18HO2D A beautiful nose of sugar coated honeydew melon backed by a lovely coastal intensity. It has a touch of Caol Ila freshness along with hints of fish, maple syrup sweet barley, herbal-peat and a demerara maltiness. The honey has a lovely maturity and gives an overall impression of politiness!
The palate open with light fish oils and sugared melon, the coastal apricot intensifies, leading into a briney middle with hints of sugared almonds and bitter chocolate from the wood. It is a lovely journey through the flavours, finishing with fishy notes and a touch of bitterness from the oak to balance the sweetness.
A lovely, clean and rich nose of earthy orange fruit, honey, along with dark fruit, liquorice, chocolate and a faint whiff of smoke. A very polished and classy nose with the creamy oak becoming more prevalent over time. The palate mirrors the nose, until the spices explode onto the mid palate. Absolutely amazing stuff! As that spice bomb begins to recede the wonderful creamy oak comes through and tails off with a woody-spice finish.
A rich, deep nose of dried fruit, sherry spice, dunnage floors, marzipan, very mature honey, beeswax and hints of earthy peat and smoke. Incredible complexity with the dunnage floor aromas increasing over time. Soft, juicy and mature, slightly oily with a wonderful cleaness of character. Mature honey, dried fruits (sultanas, raisins, figs) mingle with tangy citrus, earthy-peat and spices. Lovekly maturity and a great length with the dried fruits returning on the finish along with a touch of wood tannin.
A lovely soft, sensuous delicately peaty nose. Sweet and soft on the palate with a gradual build up of peat along with a touch of vanilla and orange fruit. This malt has a lovely balance of bitter-sweet flavours and a long sweet, slightly creamy finish with an ever present soft smokiness.
A big, fresh, clean, spicy Oloroso nose with dried fruit,ripe dates and sweet, gently smoked malt. A magnificent palate with an intensity of Olorosos dried fruits, juicy malt and?gentle smoke. very long finish with oak coming through.
An intensely clean, nutty, malty nose with a touch of smoke and peat. In the mouth it opens with delightfully clean malt. Creamy and quite oily with lashings of vanilla and delicate gapey/ winey fruits. The peat has softened to an almost imperceptible level, but adds a deft level of complexity. Amazingly delicate but all the components, barley, vanilla and peat are in perfect balance. The finish is long, succulent and enormously complex. (JM)
87.95
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