Edradour 12 yo 2000/2012 Chardonnay Cask

Edradour 12 yo 2000/2012 Chardonnay Cask

Official bottling 
Single malt - Central Highlands
Straw
56.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red grapes, mint, white grapes, apricots, lemons, hints of sandalwood, hints of honey. With water, mint, dark chocolate, more honey.
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, loose, turns watery.
Tasting: Sour. Sandalwood, mint, pine nuts, white grapes, honey, lemons, hints of figs, hints of balsamic vinegar. With water, sweeter, more honey, dark chocolate, apricots.
Finish: Medium. White grapes, honey, lemons, figs, hints of chocolate.

Comments:

Perhaps the maturation clashes with the spirit a little bit, perhaps it's my own preconceptions (I always associate Edradour with mint and chocolate), but I think this one is less good than it could be. There's a little bit of a cloying sweetness on the nose when neat, which makes it hard to discern the underlying notes. Once water is added though, this disappears, and the familiar Edradour aromas of chocolate and spiky little minty notes appear.

Verdict:

I like this.