Tasting Notes
ABV
55.6%
Region
Highlands
Bottling
Distillery
Cask type
Manzanilla Sherry Cask (#278, 495 btl.)
Nose
The nose starts off with smoked ham, dry sherry notes, oranges and raisins, acacia honey and bonfire smoke. Slightly medicinal with herbs and hints of cough syrup in the back.
Palate
Bold and intense on the palate. Smoky and spicy at first with pepper, ginger, cloves and oak. Very warming. Sweet and tender fruity notes of cherries and plums arrive, nicely mixed with dry sherry. Oily and minerally with phenols, hints of salt and cough syrup towards the finish.
Finish
The finish is long, warm and subtle sweet with plums and hints of barley sugar. Drying smoke on the tail with a bitter herbal touch.
With Water
On the nose, water tames the smoky and fruity character, bringing more sooty flavours to the fore. More sweet and less spicy on the palate with lingering fruity notes of cherries and plums. Slightly warming with a soapy touch. The finish is a bit shorter, soapy with smoke, and a touch of fruity sweetness.
Comments
An exciting Highlander displaying a fascinating interplay of smokiness, sweetness and spiciness. Rich, nicely complex with depth. While oily, earthy and greasy neat, water opens this dram underlining its fruity and sweet character. Certainly a perfect choice for cold winter days.