Category Archives: Scotland

Glen Elgin – Original Bottling, Independent, Smoke

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Our Nurnberg Whisky Explorers group has a combination of what we call “curated” evenings and “contribution” based themes. For April, we had effectively two sessions in one! Each was carefully put together to introduce those newer to exploring whiskies with a strong foundation.

Let’s start with the Glen Elgin vertical. For those not familiar, a whisky vertical is when you explore different expressions or vintages from a single distillery. In our case, Glen Elgin distillery is from the Speyside region and is owned by Diageo.

Sukhinder Singh (founder of The Whisky Exchange) shared that he sees Glen Elgin as often producing a nice “session” dram. Something easy to enjoy over a leisurely period. So what did we think?

So what did we try in our theme exploring Glen Elgin?

  • Glen Elgin 12 year 43% (OB) ~Eur 43
  • Glen Elgin 12 year (16 Sep 2009 – 15 Apr 2022) Hogshead 806374, 806380, 806381 46% (Signatory Vintage) 468 bottles ~Eur 50
  • Glen Elgin Islay Peated Finish Hogshead 44.5% (Murray McDavid) ~Eur 37

Glen Elgin Distillery was founded in 1898 and uses six stills and six wooden worm tubs. Known for a fruity spirit, it has tended to go into blends and has only one “Original Distillery Bottling” aka “OB”. What did we think?

Glen Elgin 12 year 43% (OB)

  • Colour – Dark gold (possibly enhanced)
  • Nose – Marshmellow, apple blossoms, oats, a hint of bitter orange, some fresh grated ginger, overall mild and fruity
  • Palate – Spicy oak, malty, light coffee cream, crisp
  • Finish – Lingering cereals – think a warming porridge with apple sauce, brown sugar and a dusting of cinnamon

Overall we found it a most enjoyable way to begin. Nothing complex or challenging, just an easy fruity and fun dram to whet our appetite.

We then moved from OB to independent – first with another 12 year old – this time a combination of three Hogsheads from Singatory’s vintage series.

Glen Elgin 12 year (16 Sep 2009 – 15 Apr 2022) Hogshead 806374, 806380, 806381 46% (Signatory Vintage)

  • Colour – Bright light straw
  • Nose – Citrus and hay, honeycomb, red apple, so fruity and sweet, light lovely and inviting…
  • Palate – More cereals and spice, rich honey, incredibly smooth, yet much richer, dark and juicy, very plummy, almost rummy with raisins
  • Finish – Subtle and long

A few times one could hear exclamations like “Gosh this is good!” and “Truly lovely!” It had the most marvelous light freshness on the nose, so much heavier and more luxurious on the palate then back to a lighter more nuanced touch with the finish. One mighty fine dram!

Our fun didn’t finish with just one independent! Nope! We pushed the theme further by tasting a contrasting Glen Elgin with peat – yup peat! However this Glen Elgin didn’t use peated barley, instead it was matured in an ex-Islay cask.

Glen Elgin Islay Peated Finish Hogshead 44.5% (Murray McDavid)

  • Colour – A lighter golden hue
  • Nose – Interesting! It started off a bit metallic, seaside salty spray, light spice, some lemon peel… unmistakable peat yet it was a clear fresh peat joined by crisp and crunchy Granny Smith apples, some pepper
  • Palate – Spicy, thin, coco, toasted coal
  • Finish – Medium finish
  • Water – Stewed orchard fruits, salty taffy, some almost wine-like elements… grows on you more over time

You’ll note a certain enthusiasm for the aromas and then terseness with the palate and finish until we added water. It was underwhelming initially. Yet improved with water – some cereal elements we found in both the OB and Signatory were more discernable. Overall though it was a bit, well, odd.

As we stepped back and considered each whisky, there was a clear preference for the Signatory Vintage expression though also quite happy with the OB. With just a few more Euros a bottle, it was obvious to go for the independent! It was just the peated McDavid that caused some of us to pause – in part as peat has a mixed reception from this group!

Overall, it was an excellent introduction to Glen Elgin and a very well-curated theme!

Interested in joining our Nurnberg Whisky Explorer events? Just find us on Meetup! https://www.meetup.com/nurnberg-whisky-explorers/events/

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What’s in a Name? Memories Blair Athol 11 year

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Our “What’s in a Name?“ evening featured two Simply Whisky bottles! The first was Benrinnes 10-year “Peace, Love & Whisky” which was followed by “Memories“:  a single malt from Blair Athol. The distillery is part of the Diageo stable and tends towards heavy, spicy, sherry-matured whiskies. So what about this expression?

Blair Athol 11-year “Memories” (Oct 2010 – Dec 2021) Cask 302317, 51.6% (Simply Whisky) 265 bottles. GBP 70 (sold out)

What did I think?

  • Colour – Copper
  • Nose – A forest filled with damp leaves, copper… only after time in the glass do some fruitier elements come forward. Cherries, then Sangria-like with punchy alcohol and mixed citrus, and cinnamon candies. There remain deeper darker notes – we haven’t completely left the copper and forest behind.
  • Palate – Give it some time and all the heavy intense sherry standards come to the fore with dark fruits, some bitter coffee, mocha, and black pepper spice,
  • Finish – A bit hard to pin down – a bit of spice, a bit of dark grape peel, a bit of manuka honey, more of that leafy forest flavor, a bit of umami even…
  • Water – Absolutely! This really helps open up the dense dram… now there is a bit more fruit on the nose, and chocolate on the palate with the finish carrying through.

Again, this one has a punch! Just in a very different way. Lots of old oak and powerful sherry. It definitely needs time. There is even a heavy almost red-wine-like quality – think of a brooding Cabernet or rustic Malbec. Whilst I didn’t find tannins per se, it evokes the feeling or impression.

I also need to be honest, I’m not always a Blair Athol fan. This one is dense and intense, best had with a generous dollop of water, no mere drop or two! The palate especially benefits – from being almost too much to smooth and slightly more balanced.

Call it mood or something else, but I didn’t finish my sample glass. The next morning I nosed it – well, well, well… rather inviting! So I resolved to try again another evening, giving it hours not minutes to open. Better. Much better. But still not my preferred style.

What do the folks at SimplyWhisky have to say?

We release our whiskies in pairs. Memories is the third ‘Simon one’. It’s name was inspired by the times we’ve spent with friends, reminiscing about life’s adventures, mishaps and delights. What a ride and the best is yet to come!  Born in Scotland, Memories is a Libra and is bottled at cask strength.  Like the best conversations Memories takes a while to ‘open up’.  We suggest as least 5 minutes in the glass before enjoying.  Great whisky gift!

  • Promises on the nose – Candied apples, vanilla sponge cake, glacé cherries and the zest of an orange peel. Chocolate, rhubarb, tea leaves and black liquorice. Deep and intriguing.
  • Delivers on the palate – Black Forest gâteau with a rich chocolate cherry filling. Red and orange wine gums. More liquorice. Mouth coating with gentle spice and a mid-palate mustiness. Elemental and vibrant.
  • Delights on the finish – Dark red fruits and toasted coconut coir. Toffee ice cream lavished with black treacle and dry dark tea. Gentle bonfire smoke to fade.

The tasting notes mostly made sense – especially the rhubarb and tea leaves. I went back and could definitely find these elements. There is also a kind of mustiness on the palate and more tea on the finish.

Here are the other whiskies we sampled in our “What’s in a Name?” themed evening:

  • Benrinnes 10-year “Peace, Love & Whisky” (Apr 2011 – Dec 2021) Cask 304354, 50.5% (Simply Whisky) 364 bottles.
  • Ardnamurchan 5-year “April Fool – Extremely Old, I wish I were Younger” (2022) 53.2% (The Whisky Exchange) 1575 bottles.

You can also find even more Whisky bits ‘n bobs on:

What’s in a Name? Peace, Love + Whisky Benrinnes 10 year

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Some Scottish distilleries owned by the big players like Diageo were once in the shadows, with most liquid going into blends. Big brands like Johnnie Walker and J&B rely on such “work horse” distilleries as Benrinnes (sometimes also bottled as Stronachie).

With the hunger for something “new” or “different”, there is now an abundance of options via independent bottlers. So far I haven’t had a chance to try the Benrinnes official “Flora & Fauna” bottling, however, over the last few years there have been a few brushes with several independent bottles, with mixed results.

On one end of the spectrum was something fruity, floral, and fun. I was particularly enchanted with the older La Maison du Whisky (LMdW) Artist bottling (20+ year 1995 49.4%), also quite enjoyed The Warehouse Collection from Germany (19 year 1997 52.9%) and more recently the Signatory Vintage for LMdW (18 years 1997 46%).

Yet on the opposite side, were whiskies that were quite “hot” and imbalanced, with descriptions like solvent from the Single Malts of Scotland (24 year 1991 52.6%), rusty by a later LMdW Artist offering #12 (10+ year 2011 58.1%), and more recently one which was somewhere in between – both interesting and a bit odd from Chorlton (14 year 55%).

With no clear discernable pattern, I had no idea whether this bottle would be on the “yes please!” side or the “why did they bottle this” end…

Benrinnes 10 year “Peace, Love & Whisky” (Apr 2011 – Dec 2021) Refill Hogshead 50.5% (SimplyWhisky) 364 bottles, GBP 56

What did I think?

  • Colour – Straw
  • Nose – Honey on a warm baguette, fresh sea air, metallic, then something like sweet fortified red wine or red raspberry jam, herbal or resinous, increasingly metallic
  • Palate – Sharp at first, rusty nail, then fruity with sweet spices, ginger, malty, apple seeds, something almost a bit waxy or soapy, umami
  • Finish – A mix of straw, spice and bitter
  • Water – Helps. Opens up to reveal a sweet-sour candy

OOh! That has a kick! Perhaps as it was the first dram of the evening… yet I found it certainly needed some time for it to settle down. Even then, it was quite active. The metallic element on the nose was quite prominent. Not sure this is one for me… I set it aside for some time….. still not convinced.

What do the folks at SimplyWhisky have to say?

We release our whiskies in pairs. Peace, Love & Whisky is the second ‘Franchi one’. It’s name was inspired by the warmth and friendliness of the lovely whisky people who work in the whisky industry worldwide.  Here’s to you!  Great to enjoy alongside a fresh lager or a pale ale.

  • Promises on the nose – Sweet red plums, honey, lemons and green apple skin. With time leather, walnuts and milk chocolate. A warm copper still. Peaceful and herbal.
  • Delivers on the palate – Gummy bear sweeties, pepper spice, lemons and juicy blood oranges. Lovely rounded mouthfeel.
  • Delights on the finish – Long, savoury, chocolatey and slightly minty. Dolly mixtures. Honey, a slight waxiness and finally a wisp of dry hay.

Hmmm… Some parts of the official notes rang true – the red plums, the copper…. however lovely rounded mouthfeel? Hmmm… ?

Here are the other whiskies sampled in our “What’s in a Name?” evening:

  • Blair Athol 11-year “Memories” (Oct 2010 – Dec 2021) Cask 302317, 51.6% (Simply Whisky)
  • Ardnamurchan 5-year “April Fool – Extremely Old, I wish I were Younger” (2022) 53.2% (The Whisky Exchange)

Waiting in the wings, so to speak, are more Benrinnes… I’m no longer sure if this is a good thing or… ?

  • 9 year (30 June 2011 / 4 June 2021) Refill Butt 307210, 46% (Signature)
  • 12? year (2009/2022) Vin Santo Barrel Finish 54.3% (Berry Bro’s) DE mini
  • 15 year (2007/Jun 2022) 46.4% (North Star, Series 019)
  • 23 year (1997) 1st Fill Barrique Chateau Lafite 55.9% (WW8)

You can also find even more Whisky bits ‘n bobs on:

BMC July 2023 edition – What’s in a Name?

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Last summer, I missed an interesting session with the Bombay Malt & Cigar gents with the theme “What’s in a Name?“.  The inspiration for this theme obviously came from how the whiskies were dubbed: “Peace, Love & Whisky”, “Memories” and “April Fool’s”! All three were from independent bottlers – two from Simply Whisky and one from The Whisky Exchange. The gents kindly kept samples aside for me – yeah!

So what did we try from the evening of “What’s in a Name?“:

What an interesting concept! Curious to see the results? Click on the links above and live vicariously through my notes! Or share your experiences too!

You can also find even more Whisky bits ‘n bobs on:

BMC Indie Bottlers: Ardmore 1993 Gordon Macphail

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It was the battle of the Ardmores and two different independent bottlers! After an absolutely stunning Ardmore a few months earlier from Chorlton, I will admit to being predisposed to enjoy…

I began with the Gordon & Macphail 1993 expression, anticipating it would be a light start at only 43%. This Ardmore bottle is part of their “distillery label” series where they are entrusted to use the Ardmore label, even though the maturation happens under the Gordon & MacPhail roof.

So what did I find?

Ardmore 1993 43% (Gordon & Macphail)

  • Nose – Curiously herbal, aromatic, rum sultanas, that become more and more sour, a bit like grapefruit that has gone off
  • Palate – Hot! And frankly a bit harsh…. hmm… not at all what I had anticipated. I struggled to get a feel for the elements. Maybe a fleeting hint of fruit? Was the spice black pepper or something else?
  • Finish – Heartburn chaser

So the lads warned me this wasn’t a hit. And I have to admit, it wasn’t a winner for me either. Pity. Normally I practically swear by anything from Gordon & MacPhail. It was also not what I would expect for the ABV – typically I find 43% quite approachable. This was not the case here at all!

Unfortunately, I don’t know much more. I think it was the expression bottled in 2008 – making it approximately 15 years. It is hard to say, as I couldn’t find more details!

So let’s shift gears… What about my Ardmore sample from 2018?

To be honest, I had completely forgotten I had it! I was rummaging through my old samples drawer to find more empty bottles to share samples from the current open bottles… and stumbled across this one from North Star. I simply had to open it up again!

Knowing it was peaty, I was prepared… however, it certainly toned down over the years. Which in my books isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Ardmore Peat 8 year (June 2008 / Oct 2016) 58.7% (North Star)

  • Nose – Thankfully not as heavy peat, sour cherries. only a hint of BBQ
  • Palate – Still has spice, peat and more, an earthy element which is quite comforting
  • Finish – Continues to be dry with zest of orange

I always worry about these old samples from years ago. Will there be anything that remains of what once was? Thankfully, with these peaty drams, they tend to be able to stand the test of time a wee bit better… Nearly 6 years later, it still has character and leaves an impression.

So who won the battle? In this case clearly North Star over Gordon & Macphail!

What else prompted this “independent” theme?

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BMC Indie Bottlers: Benrinnes 1997 Singatory Vintage

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The beauty of being part of the world whisky fabric is how even if you miss the main tasting experience, a generous soul or two can help arrange for a sample.

This was the case with the Bombay Malt & Cigar lads February 2024 session which featured a trio of independent bottles. I was warned that the experience had been a bit of a disappointment. However, one whisky was the clear favourite.

I decided to shake things up a bit more! I took the samples with me to our farm in rural Maharashtra and put their Singatory Vintage Benrinnes side by side with a recently opened Chorlton cask strength.

Not knowing anything about the Benrinnes beyond the vintage – 1997 – on 1st whiff it was clear this one needed to go 1st. We later discovered the ABV was reduced to 46% – the Connoisseur’s strength – making starting here the choice perfect!

Benrinnes 18 years (27 Feb 1997 – 28 July 2015) Hogshead 46% 

  • Nose – Shy, quiet aroma, soft fruits, biscuits, a hint of saline. After the 1st sip, it really opened up to reveal a super fruity side with mango and pineapple
  • Palate – What a contrast! It began with a spice kick, full and fruity, fresh figs and guava, then lychees and mangosteens, then opened up in a rather interesting way
  • Finish – A bit bitter
  • Revisit – Delightful! Though had a bit of a soapy perfume element… when the glass was drained, it kept a fresh fruity perfume

My tasting companion described it as quite sensual. Though muted, the subtle and nuanced aromas captivated us. The palate was much more colourful than anticipated. Above all, the more time in the glass, the more we enjoyed it.

We then compared it with the cask strength Chorlton’s Benrinnes 14 year 55%.

  • Nose – If the Signatory Vintage expression was shy, the Chorlton was the opposite! It greeted us with gorgeous fruits… then as it opened, we also found malty biscuits, tiramisu, burnt caramel
  • Palate – Whilst the Signatory had a surprising spice kick for a whisky that was only 46%, no surprise at 55% the Chorlton had HUGE spice!
  • Finish – Both had a bitter edge, with the Chorlton having a particularly long finish
  • Water – Does wonders on the nose, tames the palate, and brings it closer to the Signatory Vintage

We just so happened to have a fig and bocca with basil salad. It made for a marvelous combination with the Chorlton. However, in terms of just a sipping dram, the 1st was the preferred whisky.

The theme was Highland “independents” from two different well-known independent bottlers – Signatory and Gordon & Macphail, mostly acquired via La Maison du Whisky. In addition to the Benrinnes, we also had:

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BMC Indie Bottlers: Benrinnes, Ardmore, Tomatin

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Whilst the cat is away, the mice will play! At least that was the case with our Bombay Malt & Cigar gents who enjoyed a trio of whiskies from independent bottlers without me.

Kindly, they decided to share a generous sample of each! They made their way to me in late March and were sampled in two sittings in early April.

The theme was Highland “independents” from two different well-known independent bottlers – Signatory and Gordon & Macphail, mostly acquired via La Maison du Whisky:

Now… I wasn’t going to do this as a simple 1, 2, 3 tasting. Nope! I just so happened to have with me another Benrinnes, recently opened. And was able to dig up from the Whisky samples archive a neglected Ardmore from North Star Spirits.

With the Tomatin I had nothing to compare, so am simply sharing here…

It has been some time since I sat down properly with a whisky from Tomatin.

My last experience with Tomatin was also bottled by Gordon & Macphail. It was a mere sniff swish back at Paris Whisky Live in 2022 – part of introducing their Discovery series. I actually rather enjoyed that one – it had a lovely fruity quality.

This particular expression was part of Gordon & Macphail’s now retired “Reserve” collection. “Reserve” was their previous entry-level range, replaced in 2018 by the “Discovery” series. In this case, it was bottled specifically for La Maison du Whisky.

Tomatin Reserve 8 year 2007–2015 ABV unknown

  • Nose – Marshmallows and acetone, then bananas and caramel
  • Palate – Generic fruit. Then it has a spice bite! Then sweet. A bit thin.
  • Finish – Curious, dry

In short, it had little in common with the more recent Discovery expression. And was honestly a disappointment.

I couldn’t see the ABV but it came across as quite active and potentially higher, whereas typically the “Reserve” range was a lower ABV – I’ve come across some bottled at 40%.

I set it aside, concluding perhaps I simply wasn’t in the mood for a malt, and thought to try again another evening. I didn’t. Which also says something about this dram.

What about other Tomatin experiences? From “Original Bottlings” there was a trio of Legacy 43%,12 year 43%, 14 year Port Wood 46%.

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Not your ordinary blend! North Star’s Super Sonic Mach 3 55%

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Independent bottlers can truly be the “next level” of whisky explorations. For North Star Spirits, Ian and team have been bringing a range of whiskies to the world since just 2016. They’ve now branched into another series – Periodical – available only in the UK and launching soon – Obscurities and Curiosities. Even more recently, the lads are setting the stage for whisky production – with a new distillery Dal Riata in Campbeltown.

And yet, with all these developments, the foundation remains their North Star bottlings – which include in addition to their staple single malts, both a blended scotch (ie with grain) and blended malt (ie without grain).

Within the Blended Malt category, Ian introduced “Supersonic” in 2021 and released in rapid succession a series from Mach 1 to Mach 4, ranging from 46% for Mach 1 to 60% for Mach 4, all from Sherry butts. For our “Not an ordinary blend” evening, I knew the Mach 3 at 55% would fit in perfectly! Just needed to be kept towards the end, given I anticipated it would have quite a sherry punch! And it did indeed deliver this!

Supersonic Mach 3 (2013/2021) 55% (North Star) 786 bottles 

  • Nose – Lots going on here! Reminds me a bit of a chocolate, raisin, and nuts candy bar, also creamy vanilla pudding, something else a bit elusive – a puff of smoke perhaps?
  • Palate – Bold spice, loads of sherry elements like dark fruits (think fig, plum, dates, and raisins). There is a peppery chili “catch” that comes from behind – one even called it akin to Tabasco sauce!
  • Finish – More of that chili, sherry carrying through with a drying close
  • Water – Recommended. It really works well with water which tames the beast and enables juicier fruits to emerge

This is a “blended” malt is indeed a powerhouse! So much so that before adding water, it is a bit imbalanced. Like the different sherry butts are bumping up against each other, vying for who comes first. In a later revisit, I simply add a generous splash of water from the start and sat back to enjoy.

I purchased this in November 2022 for €53,60 + Tax + Shipping. It was opened in February 2024 in Nurnberg, Germany.

What other North Star whiskies have we tried? It has become quite the list – most heavily weighted towards the early years!

The North Star Regional Series:

North Star Series 007 and 008 from 2019:

North Star Series 005 from 2018:

North Series 001 – 004 from 2016 to 2018:

Interested in joining our Nurnberg Whisky Explorer events? Just find us on Meetup!

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Not your ordinary blend! Wemyss Nectar Grove 46%

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In the world of whiskies, Wemyss has created a space for whisky curation since 2005. Known for their core range of The Hive, Spice King, and Peat Chimney, an interesting array of limited editions, plus a special range of single casks. The last I tried was an absolute delight –  the Summer Breeze Lnkwood 20 year (1995/2015) Cask #20877 46%. 

For our evening of “Not your ordinary blend!“, we were treated to a limited edition “Nectar Grove”. What I particularly appreciate about the contributor is how he carefully researches what he brings, and also opens it just before so he gets an initial feel for the whisky before sharing it with the group. In this case, he remarked how he had expected more honeyed “nectar”. Once he got past his preconceived notion, began to really appreciated the dram.

As for us? Read on!

Wemyss Nectar Grove Blended Malt Scotch Whisky with Madeira finish 46%

  • Nose – For me, the first whiff was quite prominently bananas! As in loads and loads of ripe bananas. This was later joined by peaches and apricots. Fruity candies. Most pleasant and inviting. Curiously we did not find honey and the more time it spent in the glass, the more we began to realize this is no lightweight, behind the sweetness a faintly bitter edge. Perhaps a little coconut too? Interesting.
  • Palate – Has body yet isn’t heavy. Think vanilla whipped cream rather than a heavy sauce. The fruit remains – now more nectarines or yellow plums. There is a clear ginger spice with more of that bitter woody element creeping in… together with a burnt brown sugar sauce, the caramel
  • Finish – Very dry and wood-heavy with a cinnamon chaser

Overall we found it well crafted with the different elements well integrated. Whilst it is not complex, it isn’t boring either.  At one point, we discussed how on the nose it has the illusion of peat smoke – there was no doubt – there is zero peat but perhaps the rechar cask played a more active role? We also speculated on how the Madeira cask fit into the equation – what it brought to the table? Perhaps some of the dryness yet also contributes to the rather nice ginger spice.

A limited edition, here is what the folks over at Wemyss have to say:

Nectar Grove is an exclusive Limited Edition small batch, hand-crafted Scotch whisky with a beautifully succulent character. A blend of fine single malts has been filled into hand-selected ex-Madeira wine casks to marry with the oak for a rich, warm finish.

  • Nose Aromas of sun-baked peaches, dried apricot and succulent nectarines.
  • Palate Orange oil, sumptuous rich vanilla and caramelised sugar.
  • Finish A warm finish of complex spices, toasted saffron and crystallised ginger.

Would have to say, these tasting notes are apt and this is certainly one worth trying. Retailing in Germany for around Eur 46, this is certainly value for money!

So what made its way into our theme of “Not Your Ordinary Blend“?

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Not your ordinary blend! Glenalba 30 year PX 41.1%

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Is it really possible to get a 30-year-old whisky for under Eur 60? Impossible, right? Well, not at all if you are shopping in Lidl and don’t mind trying a Scottish blend – where it even occasionally goes on sale! (PS other places sell for ~300 Eur?!)

The theme of the evening was “Not your ordinary blend!“, and our Glen Alba contributor shared that we should begin with the oldest offering. The reasoning was both the style and that it was the only traditional “blend” of the evening – meaning a combination of grain and single malt. Given the price, it is assumed there must be a fair amount of grain and only a little single malt, however, that’s a secret only the blender would know!

What did we think?

Glenalba 30 year PX Blended Scotch Whisky 41.4%

  • Nose – Sweet honeycomb, joined by some raisins, plums, and other dark fruits, some vanilla cream and milk chocolate, light and sweet
  • Palate – Smooth, well rounded, and much more substance than anticipated, robust yet balanced, like sipping sweet flavourful syrup, with a marvelous mouthfeel
  • Finish – Long, strong with a touch of oak and nutmeg
  • Revisit – When we returned after tasting other whiskies, we found it to still be quite pleasant with pine nut joining the aromas

Overall we were really happy with this one. Sure it’s not a sophisticated complex whisky and we described more the experience than distinctive elements – yet the palate was frankly “superb.” The PX finish likely added a little bit of “oomph!”

We pronounced it a “pleasant Sunday or Holiday dram.” Something easy to drink, uncomplicated, and enjoyable.

What else did we try in our theme of “Not Your Ordinary Blend“?

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