This is the penultimate dram that I will review from the evening. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this whiskey, but it is a limited edition bottle, with only 1500 produced a year and it has a wonderful story attached to its creation. I love the idea that this whisky is the last statement of a great master ending his career and retiring to the distillery archives. What he has created is indicative of high quality pot stilled whisky, whilst still being different enough to make it a very special dram and to require you to sample it.
Nose: For me there are two distinct parts to this nose, the wood shavings, honey sweetness and vanilla of bourbon barrels and a rich red fruit flavour, which to me is the sweetness of strawberries combined with the acidity of tangerine.
Taste: Such a smooth start, but there are only moments of fruity sweetness, akin to the fruit on the nose. These fruits are then quickly joined by a peppery spice.
This spice develops slowly and purposefully, adding in layers of cinnamon and a tobacco smoke note. This is gloriously spicy, but unashamedly sweet. There are cereals, notes of butter and honey. This middle flavour is defined by a buttery, creamy, luxurious quality, that balances the spice and allows it to float around the mouth.
The final flavour is a perfectly balanced mix of the vanilla cream, with the spice of cinnamon and a round, deep fruit, maybe pear, maybe grape, maybe strawberry.
Mouthfeel: Creamy and luxurious, but spicy.
Overall: This is a classy dram, it develops slowly and purposefully on the tongue, it has
Aroma: 15
Start: 16
Middle: 17
Finish: 17
Value: 15
Overall: 80/100
More Information: Single Pot Still Website
Available: Weber and Trings