Spirit of Hven Dubhe Seven Stars No.1

Nose

Complex with sweet nutmeg, ripe strawberry and dark chocolate,.

Palate

A flavour explosion! The nutmeg and dark chocolate from the nose joined by orange zest, cinnamon and vanilla.

Finish

Medium in length, with the orange zest the most prominent flavour at the end.

Comment

An intriguing whisky, every sip is slightly different. It's one of those that I could sip and think about for hours – a real gem.

Undiluted, without water

The scent is herbal with vibrant notes of rose hip, liquorice and cut hay. Behind the subtle scents of the Orangery is a clear, albeit distinct, smokiness with elements of tar and leather.

The taste is full of ripe fruit with peppers, the smoke is matched perfectly by the rich vanilla. The emphasis is in the middle of the tongue, and it has a nice balance between tannins and oiliness.

Diluted, with water about 1: 5

The gentle notes from fermentation and oak maturation dare show themselves. First impressions are roasted coffee, dark chocolate, leather and almonds. After a few moments, the scents of old-fashioned root cellar, ripe apples, saturated aged wood and weak phenols evolves together with sweet wine and vanilla from maturation.

The taste is sweet with some acidity. The aftertaste is slightly shorter with water but in return, it will lure the scents of a blooming summer meadow, with a slight note of leather in the horizon. Mouth feel is warm and soft without edges.