46% abv, €45, single malt, non-chill filtered, natural colour
Nose: sulphur (then: a long silence) mushrooms, sherry, dried fruits, plums, raisins, sultanas, citrus, mango, pineapple, blood oranges, cinnamon, coffee, tobacco
Palate: sweet, strong, LOTS of dried fruit (name it, it’s there) citrus, blood oranges, grapefruit, clover honey, chocolate, cocoa, coffee
Finish: medium long, warming, slight marmalade bitter, iced coffee
Mark: +++++
Conclusion: needs to warm up. When your room is cold (and our tasting-room is), this is just nothing great. After warming it in your hands it gets a lot better: the sulphur notes dissipate leaving the very welcome sherry fruitiness to climb up your nose and tickle your senses on your palate. Extra points for 46%, non-chill filtration and no added caramel colouring added in the mark…
I once recommended and swapped a bottle of this with a colleague who was very put off by a bottle of Ardbeg 10, and he really enjoys this. The initial nose and finish are not what I remembered from tasting it before, so it might be that I need a do-over.
More info: She has matured her full age of at least 15 years in ex-Olorose sherry casks.
Third whisky in the #FestiveDrams Twitter Tasting
Whisky Worship 