SMWS 16.47 (Glenturret 6yo 2013/2020)

SMWS 16.47 (Glenturret 6yo 2013/2020)

2020, SMWS
Single malt - Central Highlands 
Buttercup yellow
63.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apple juice, leather, driftwood smoke, peat, greengages, pear drops, hints of roast beef. With water, pear drops, apple juice, fresh baked bread. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, syrupy, expands. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Apple juice, pear drops, driftwood smoke, germolene, peat, fresh baked bread, hints of tobacco leaf. With water, sweeter, peanuts, fresh baked bread, hints of pear drops. 
Finish: Medium. Driftwood smoke, germolene, fresh baked bread, honey, hints of roast beef. 

Comments: 

Meaty and sweet, there’s a lot of complexity in this Glenturret. Plenty of smoky, leathery notes too. These open up a lot with a few drops of water (ok, more than a few) and turn into bready, nutty apples. Quite tasty.

Verdict:

I like this.

Singleton of Glendullan 19yo (Special Releases 2021)

Singleton of Glendullan 19yo (Special Releases 2021)

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside 
Copper gold
54.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Caramel, yoghurt, orange peel, raisins, vanilla, ginger, nutmeg, carrot cake. With water, sandalwood, orange peel, ginger. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, airy, loosens, expands. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Vanilla, caramel, orange peel, yoghurt, malted grains. With water, orange peel, malted grains, orange peel, fresh baked bread. 
Finish: Short. Malted grains, ginger, orange peel, yoghurt. 

Comments: 

Quite spicy and caramelly, with plenty of vanilla and cereal. It’s got some good complexity, especially on the nose, and it fades quickly to a nice, gingery, cereally finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Old Pulteney 14yo 2007/2021

Old Pulteney 14yo 2007/2021

Rare Find Whisky, Gleann Mor Spirits
Single malt - North Highlands 
Golden
57.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, preserved lemons, green tea, jasmine, malted grains, hints of barley sugar. With water, malted grains, lemon zest, sea salt, apricots. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, hot, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Malted grains, apricots, preserved lemons, green tea, greengages, malted greens, hints of stale beer. With water, barley sugar, stale beer, greengages, hints of cumin. 
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, apricots, green tea, sea salt. 

Comments: 

Cask 700720. Quite fruity for an Old Pulteney. The coastal, saline character has been nearly hidden under the apricots and greengages. Lots of spicy notes are present too, making the whisky taste like preserved lemons. Lovely stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot

Bimber 3yo 2017/2021

Bimber 3yo 2017/2021

Thompson Brothers
Single malt - London 
Amber
57.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Mangoes, honey, raisins, brown paper, sandalwood, damson jam, oats, hints of cinnamon. With water, oats, raisins, barley sugar, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, airy, loosens. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Mangoes, raisins, brown paper, black tea, barley sugar, hints of cinnamon. With water, barley sugar, raisins, mangoes, damson jam. 
Finish: Short. Oats, black tea, mangoes, damson jam. 

Comments: 

Cask 171. Very fruity and sweet, lots of jammy notes that I now associate with Bimber. With water, the cereally character emerges, making it quite complex and alluring for the young age. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Ben Nevis 6yo 2015/2021

Ben Nevis 6yo 2015/2021

Strictly Limited, Carn Mor
Single malt - Western Highlands 
Buttercups
47.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, salt caramel, tyre rubber, black tea, pears, hints of green tea. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, slippery, expands. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Cream, fresh baked bread, brown paper, honey, pears, dish soap, hints of tyre rubber. 
Finish: Medium. Dish soap, tyre rubber, fresh baked bread, green tea. 

Comments: 

A promising, if slightly sulphurous nose, lots of sweet fruit and fragrant tannins. However it morphs into slightly bready, soapy fruit. It’s a little disappointing. Ben Nevis can be hit or miss for me, sadly this one misses a little.

Verdict:

I like this.

Annandale Man O’Sword STR Red Wine Cask (Cask 352)

Annandale Man O’Sword STR Red Wine Cask (Cask 352)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Lowlands 
Copper, hints of orange
61% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, peanuts, leather, tyre rubber, honey, red grapes, sea salt, hints of mint. With water, orange peel, honey, caramel, hints of tyre rubber. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Orange peel, sea salt, peanuts, leather, peat, cigar ash, smoke, mint. With water, sweeter, black tea, orange peel, sea salt, caramel, peat, hints of smoke. 
Finish: Short. Mint, cigar ash, sea salt, smoke. 

Comments: 

I’m not entirely sure Man O’Sword works, but this one is certainly a good attempt. Ashy smoke devolves into caramel, orange peel and sea salt, but it sort of melts into just ash. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Annandale Man O’Words STR Red Wine Cask (Cask 320)

Annandale Man O’Words, STR Red Wine Cask (Cask 320)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Lowlands
Amber orange 
61.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, leather, orange peel, milk chocolate, sea salt, five spice powder, hints of roast beef. With water, honey, five spice powder, orange peel, hints of roast beef. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Orange peel, cream, red grapes, milk chocolate, cinnamon, black tea, hints of barley sugar. With water, black tea, red grapes, cinnamon, barley sugar. 
Finish: Long. Barley sugar, cinnamon, cream, red grapes, hints of roast beef. 

Comments: 

I like Annandale distillate, but red wine casks can be divisive. Turns out this one is quite luscious, plenty of sweet fruit and barley, with a meaty end note in the finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Arran Port Cask Finish

Arran Port Cask Finish 

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islands
Copper, hints of rose
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, red grapes, raisins, green tea, lemon zest, sea salt, peaches, hints of caraway seed. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Red grapes, yoghurt, peaches, fresh baked bread, caraway seed, hints of liquorice. 
Finish: Short. Nutmeg, red grapes, raisins, caraway seed. 

Comments: 

Quite sweet and fruity, with a glorious mouth feel. Plenty of grapes and peaches, but the really attractive thing is a subtle note of caraway seed that fades quickly on the palate. Quite lovely..

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Milk and Honey Apex Batch 4

Milk and Honey Apex Batch 4

Official bottling 
Single malt - Tel Aviv
Bronze gold
57.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Milk, yoghurt, pineapples, cream, lime zest, brown paper, white grapes, hints of papayas. With water, dark chocolate, fresh baked bread, oats, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, expands, airy, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Liquorice, white grapes, cream, pineapples, lime zest, sandalwood, hints of fresh baked bread. With water, ink, lime zest, yoghurt, liquorice. 
Finish: Short. Green tea, papayas, lime zest, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Rum cask finished whisky. Lots of fruit and slightly funky cream. There’s a minty liquorice note that is quite attractive. Water thins it out to something citrusy and slightly metallic.

Verdict:

I like this.

Invergordon 32yo 1990/2022

Invergordon 32yo 1990/2022

Thompson Brothers
Single grain - North Highlands 
Bright gold 
51.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, tutti frutti, sea salt, oats, cornflakes, apple juice. With water, honey, oats, sea salt. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, sticky, thickens. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Sea salt, oats, cornflakes, apple juice, lemon zest, nutmeg, hints of cinnamon. With water, saltier, oats, pear drops. 
Finish: Medium. Cornflakes, oats, honey, vanilla, apple juice. 

Comments: 

Lovely and light, fruity, spicy and slightly savoury. It’s a very good aged grain, lots of character, lots of fragrant cereal. I absolutely loved it, and the price was very good too. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Bimber Distillery Exclusive Oloroso Cask #106/5/2020

Bimber Distillery Exclusive Oloroso Cask #106/5/2020

Official bottling 
Single malt - London
Amber rose
57.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, honey, blueberry jam, chocolate, vanilla, clay dust, hints of roses. With water, damson jam, honey, roses. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Blueberry jam, lime zest, vanilla, fresh baked bread, oats, honey, hints of roses. With water, oats, clay dust, damson jam, raisins, fresh baked bread. 
Finish: Medium. Oats, honey, black tea, lime zest, blueberry jam. 

Comments: 

Bimber certainly takes first fill sherry very well. Lots of typical jammy notes, but also quite spirity, sharp cereal notes that cut through the sweetness quite nicely. There’s a bit of bitter citrus as well that acts as a good counterpoint.

Verdict:

I like this.

Abasolo Corn Whiskey

Abasolo Corn Whiskey 

Official bottling 
Single corn - Edomex
Pale gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, popcorn, butter, vanilla, honey, golden syrup, hints of sea salt. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, loosens, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Raisins, red grapes, honey, purple corn, pineapples, golden syrup, hints of cloves. 
Finish: Short. Sea salt, butter, vanilla, cloves. 

Comments: 

This is a different style from Sierra Norte. It’s richer somehow, lots of leather and pineappley tropical notes. Lots of spices and butter, especially on the finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

Sierra Norte Black Corn

Sierra Norte Black Corn 

Official bottling 
Single corn - Oaxaca
Dark gold
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, popcorn, fresh cut grass, milk chocolate, lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, mouth coating, cool. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Butter, popcorn, milk chocolate, sea salt, nutmeg, hints of fresh cut grass. 
Finish: Short. Butter, nutmeg, cinnamon, milk chocolate, fresh cut grass. 

Comments: 

I think this is my favourite out of the mini Sierra Norte tasting session I put together. It’s buttery and warm, sort of a buttered popcorn hug, like the best bourbons. Yet it’s unlike bourbon, it’s loose in the mouth, almost airy, and it’s got a nice spicy hit.

Verdict:

I like this.

Sierra Norte Yellow Corn

Sierra Norte Yellow Corn 

Official bottling 
Single corn - Oaxaca
Dark gold
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cotton candy, honey, fresh cut grass, vanilla, sea salt, raspberries. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, cool, slightly tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Raspberries, fresh cut grass, honey, green tea, sea salt, hints of corn syrup. 
Finish: Medium. Green tea, raspberries, honey, hints of cotton candy. 

Comments: 

This whisky shares a characteristic herbal flavour with its siblings. It’s got some sweet berry notes, but it’s mostly honey, cotton candy and grass. It’s complex and subtle, and quite refreshing.

Verdict:

I like this.

Sierra Norte White Corn

Sierra Norte White Corn 

Official bottling 
Single corn - Oaxaca
Dark green gold
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Fresh cut grass, yoghurt, agave, honey, sea salt, oranges. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, warm, tingly, loosens slightly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Honey, red grapes, raisins, strawberries, black tea, orange juice, hints of cloves. 
Finish: Short. Cloves, raisins, orange juice, agave. 

Comments: 

It’s the first Mexican whisky I’ve ever had. Grassy and sweet, it’s got a loose, light texture, with a hint of spices, especially on the finish. Quite alluring. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Kilchoman 8yo 2012/2021 Ruby Port Single Cask Finish

Kilchoman 8yo 2012/2021 Ruby Port Single Cask Finish

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay
Amber, hints of red
55.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Autumn leaves, honey, red grapes, raisins, dried strawberries, marzipan. With water, vanilla sponge, honey, dates, dried strawberries. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, cool, slightly tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Honey, red grapes, leather, marzipan, orange peel, driftwood smoke, hints of dates. With water, more bitter, caramel, orange peel, red grapes, hints of pear. 
Finish: Medium. Dried strawberries, orange peel, red grapes, raisins, leather. 

Comments: 

Cask 2491/12. Quite sweet, the smoke and peat are rather gentle in this whisky. A lot of earthier notes emerge, even some caramel, once water is added. Quite leathery and sweet on the finish too.

Verdict:

I like this.

Kilchoman 8yo 2012/2021 100% Islay Bourbon Single Cask

Kilchoman 8yo 2012/2021 100% Islay Bourbon Single Cask

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay
Straw
55.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pears, honey, white wine, lemon zest, sea salt, peanuts, leather, hints of smoke. With water, smoke, leather, white wine. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, syrupy, static. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Sea salt, fresh baked bread, leather, autumn leaves, smoke, germolene, white wine, hints of vanilla. With water, autumn leaves, vanilla, honey. 
Finish: Short. Peanuts, germolene, lemon zest, hints of honey. 

Comments: 

Cask 719/2012. Austere and earthy, this is lovely stripped back whisky. There are some signs of the other facets of Kilchoman, peanuts and pears, and a little honey, in place of the more common dates. Honestly, I do prefer this to the sweeter sherried versions.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Kilchoman 11yo 2007/2019 Distillery Shop Exclusive Oloroso Sherry Cask

Kilchoman 11yo 2007/2019 Distillery Shop Exclusive Oloroso Sherry Cask 

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay

Amber
54% ABV
Dram

Nose: Dates, leather, peat, driftwood smoke, autumn leaves, phenol. With water, vanilla, orange peel, golden syrup, marshmallows, hints of smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, static, syrupy, sticky. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Dates, sea salt, autumn leaves, bay leaf, driftwood smoke, peat, orange peel. With water, sea salt, marshmallows, orange peel, smoke, autumn leaves. 
Finish: Long. Orange peel, golden syrup, dates, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Cask 423/2007. Surprisingly herbal and savoury for a Sherry cask. Lots of briny, earthy notes on the tongue. It’s surprisingly fragrant and bitter, but the finish is sweet and long with plenty of zesty notes. Lovely stuff.

Verdict:

I like this.

Kilchoman 5yo 2015/2020 100% Islay PX Cask

Kilchoman 5yo 2015/2020 100% Islay PX Single Cask

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay

Amber bronze
59% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red grapes, black pepper, honey, raisins, leather, dried strawberries, hints of smoke. With water, raisins, dates, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, turns sticky, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Cough syrup, leather, smoke, peat, dried strawberries, honey, black pepper, hints of fresh baked bread. With water, smoke, germolene, honey, raisins. 
Finish: Medium. Germolene, black pepper, fresh baked bread, raisins, honey. 

Comments: 

Cask 319/2015. Quite sweet, unctuously so, the PX cask gives a really thick and sticky mouthfeel, even if the body is quite ‘light’. Spicy finish too, and the smoke is very gentle. Almost too sweet.

Verdict:

I like this.

Kilchoman 8yo 2012/2021 Port Ellen Malt Bourbon Matured Single Cask

Kilchoman 8yo 2012/2021 Port Ellen Malt Bourbon Matured Single Cask

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay
Silvery gold 
55.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, peat, dates, honey, fig jam, germolene, hints of chocolate. With water, vanilla, orange peel, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, tingly, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Dates, honey, orange peel, leather, smoke, fresh baked bread, germolene, hints of cigar ash. With water, germolene, orange peel, leather, honey. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh baked bread, dates, smoke, cigar ash. 

Comments: 

Cask 726/2012. Lots of sweet notes, and particularly a big hit of citrus along with all that smoke. But it doesn’t really taste very sweet. There’s a slightly surprising ashy note too, I don’t remember the peat in Kilchoman being quite so harsh. It’s very good whisky indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Benriach 12yo Three Cask Matured

Benriach 12yo Three Cask Matured

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside 
Amber red
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Chocolate, caramel, raisins, vanilla, dried apricots. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, warm, loosens slightly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Black tea, caramel, chocolate, dried apricots, sea salt, maple syrup. 
Finish: Medium. Brown paper, fresh baked bread, chocolate, caramel. 

Comments: 

Quite a sweet Benriach. Lots of sugary goodness here - chocolate and caramel, and even maple syrup. The spirit has taken its maturation well, and there’s plenty of cask influence.

Verdict:

I like this.

Raasay 2017/2021

Raasay 2017/2021

Single Cask, Berry Bros & Rudd
Single malt - Islands
Amber
56.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apples, cider vinegar, malted grains, orange peel, sea salt. With water, apple juice, lemon zest, cider vinegar. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Cider vinegar, apples, honey, green tea, malted grains, stale beer. With water, lemon zest, cider vinegar, stale beer. 
Finish: Medium. Chillies, green tea, malted grains, stale beer. 

Comments: 

Cask 23. Odd whisky, this - there’s a big whiff of stale beer, and the whisky itself tastes of cider vinegar. There’s some herbal fragrance, especially on the tongue, but it’s really very cereally. I don’t quite know what to make of it. 

Verdict:

Not bad. 

Mannochmore 2010/2021

Mannochmore 2010/2021

Small Batch, Berry Bros & Rudd
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, rubber bands, vanilla, coffee, lemon zest, fresh baked bread. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Vanilla, turmeric, fresh baked bread, white pepper, rubber bands, hints of coffee. 
Finish: Medium. Lemon zest, turmeric, vanilla, hints of rubber bands. 

Comments: 

A slightly sulphurous Mannochmore, with the sulphur manifesting as rubber bands. There’s a lot of bitter but fragrant elements, such as coffee and turmeric, and there’s a little residual sweetness on the finish. Quite good..

Verdict:

I like this.

Sagamore Spirit Straight Rye Whiskey

Sagamore Spirit Straight Rye Whiskey

Official bottling 
Single rye - Maryland
Amber
41.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Black pepper, brown paper, orange peel, vanilla, marzipan, blueberries. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, sticky, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Black pepper, marzipan, orange peel, brown paper, strawberry laces, hints of bananas. 
Finish: Short. Black tea, black pepper, strawberry laces, bananas, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Batch 4E. Decent rye, with characteristic spiciness, if a tad sweet. Lots of strawberries and a very bourbon-y hint of banana. I’ve always wanted to try Maryland whisky, and I’m interested to try more.

Verdict:

I like this.

JP Wiser 18yo

JP Wiser 18yo 

Official bottling 
Single malt - Ontario
Amber 

40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pear drops, sea salt, caramel, lemon zest, black tea. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, airy, slightly slippery. 
Tasting:  Sour salty. Sea salt, butterscotch, caramel, butterscotch, coffee, hints of brown paper. 
Finish: Short. Brown paper, coffee, vanilla, caramel. 

Comments: 

Mediocre, and a little confused. It’s not as sweet as I expected, instead there’s a lot of bourbon flavours and some heavy caramel. Adequate, I suppose.

Verdict:

I like this.

Paul John 2015/2021

Paul John 2015/2021

Single Cask, Berry Bros & Rudd
Single malt - Goa
Dark gold
58.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, bacon, vanilla, peanuts, sea salt, lemon zest. With water, lemon juice, kombucha, green tea. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Peanut butter, bacon, smoke, lemon zest, cream, hints of milk chocolate. With water, vanilla, peanut butter, lemon juice. 
Finish: Long. Smoke, peat, vanilla, cream, peanut butter. 

Comments: 

Cask 6414. Quite sharp and nutty, but with a healthy dose of smoke and peat. There are some sweeter notes here, but they’re almost drowned by the meaty smokiness. Quite complex.

Verdict:

I like this.

Mars Kasei Blended Whiskey

Mars Kasei Blended Whiskey 

Official bottling 
Single blend - East Honshu
Golden
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, yuzu, green tea, malted grains, hints of raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, tingly, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sour. Orange peel, yuzu, green tea, vanilla, fresh baked bread, sea salt, hints of honey. 
Finish: Short. Sea salt, fresh baked bread, malted grains, vanilla, hints of brown paper. 

Comments: 

Entry level bottling from Shinshu Mars. Quite citrusy, fairly good level of complexity for the ABV and the price point. The grain component makes it a bit cereally, and the flavour notes aren’t that well defined.

Verdict:

I like this.

Wolfburn - The Kylver Series No 5

Wolfburn - The Kylver Series No 5

Official bottling 
Single malt - North Highlands 
Orange gold
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, kombucha, green apples, orange peel, vanilla, hints of green tea. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, syrupy, hot. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Green apples, pickle brine, orange peel, vanilla custard, fresh baked bread, hints of green tea. 
Finish: Long. Green apples, lemon juice, green tea, kombucha. 

Comments: 

Lovely and sharp, lots of interesting sour notes that I normally don’t find in whisky. There are some sweet cereally notes on the tongue as well. Very well constructed, and quite delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

New York Distilling Company 2yo Batch 3

New York Distilling Company 2yo Batch 3

That Boutique-y Rye Company, Master of Malt 
Single rye - New York
Amber green gold
47.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, honey, lemon zest, hints of black tea. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, loosens, slippery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Black pepper, nutmeg, lemon zest, brown paper, honey, oats, star anise. 
Finish: Medium. Star anise, vanilla, cookie dough, nutmeg. 

Comments: 

Well, technically this isn’t whisky yet, it’s still rye spirit, but it’s got a good colour and a good set of flavours. Not too sweet, instead a cornucopia of spice and vanilla baked goods. Rather nice.

Verdict:

I like this.

Black Gate 3yo Batch 2

Black Gate 3yo Batch 2

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt 
Single malt - New South Wales
Amber gold
46.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, raisins, fig jam, five spice powder, fresh cut grass, dried orange peel, hints of Chinese angelica. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, cool, slightly tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Black tea, five spice powder, dark chocolate, raisins, fig jam, sea salt, Chinese angelica, hints of mint. 
Finish: Long. Raisins, orange peel, five spice powder, fresh cut grass, hints of Szechuan peppercorns, hints of mint. 

Comments: 

Utterly delicious, herbal, sweet and savoury at the same time. There’s a huge amount of spices in here, and there’s a lovely floral finish as well. Really amazing whisky for the age.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.