Very rich and elegant without any of the negative, overly-sherried effects. Fresh sweet fruit, some zest like hops, honeyed and sweet. Very mellow.
Sherry and oak in a honeyed glaze," hay, dried herbs and vanilla stick things". Fresh fruit on the nose has turned dried, prunes, raisins, and a pleasantly bitter edge with tobacco and coffee. Sherried finish with a citrus peel tinge.
SUMMARY:
A very gulpable sherried beast, not one for slow sipping by the fire, more for after dinner decadent, indulgent quaffing. Ran thought it was stronger than I did so to each their own. Amazing price for the age, sherry, and strength. One expects nothing less from Single Malts of Scotland. Malt Maniacs awarded this bottle with a Gold Medal in their 2007 awards and one can understand why.
Colour: dark amber.
Nose: superb, not unlike the Blackadder, only fruitier and more nervous. Fantastic notes of very ripe black cherries, fresh strawberries, very ripe peaches, and then all what’s associated with strongly sherried whiskies (headed by prunes here). Exceptional nose that reminds me of the best LBV Ports, and this is no joke. I absolutely adore this nose, totally balanced in its extreme fruitiness.
Mouth: I had expected the palate would leave us in peace but not a chance! Very lively, as fruity as on the nose but probably more sherried as such (not quite as sherried as the Blackadder, that is) and maybe more classic. Coffee, prunes, chocolate, strawberries, blackcurrants, toffee, raisins, dried oranges and all that jazz. And very powerful, at that.
Finish: very long, concentrated, classically sherried but maybe a tad less drying than a true sherry monster (such as the Blackadder). Oh well, this is partly why we’re into whisky. Not yet on The Whisky Exchange’s website so I couldn’t tell you about the price but it’ll probably be fair so... Well... - SGP:822 – And just for the ripe black cherries on the nose that remind me of a 1978 Latricières: 94 points.
