Speyside 17 yo 1993/2010

Speyside 17 yo 1993/2010

Scott's Selection, Speyside Distiller's Company
Single malt - Speyside
Pink
61.5% ABV 
Dram

Nose: Red grapes, chillies, grilled beef, tobacco leaf, peanuts, fresh baked bread, vanilla, hints of cinnamon. With water, more vanilla, acacia honey, leather, more grilled beef.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, turns watery, slippery.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Vanilla, peanuts, chillies, tobacco, leaf, orange peel, fresh baked bread, hints of cinnamon, hints of saffron. With water, saltier, more bread, saffron, grilled beef.
Finish: Long. Chillies, orange peel, tobacco leaf, peanuts, walnuts.

Comments:

An unofficial official bottling - Scott's Selection is independent whisky bottled by the Speyside Distiller's Company. I don't know why they did this. Anyway, it's meaty, fruity and delicious. With water it turns saltier, and I can taste a nice (if slightly odd) combination of bready fruit and Turkish kebab. Very unusual, and very good.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Royal Brackla 27 yo 1976/2004 Scott's Selection

Royal Brackla 27 yo 1976/2004 Scott's Selection

Scott's Selection, Speyside Distiller's Company
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
65.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sherry, peat, iodine, honey, Crunchy Nut cornflakes, orange peel, hints of ammonia.
Mouthfeel: Light body, warm, slightly syrupy, astringent.
Tasting: Sweet. Cayenne pepper, toast, mint, peat, butter, plums, magic marker, hints of banana chips.
Finish: Long. Peanuts, lime juice, salted lime pickle.

Comments:

This is hard to drink given the strength, yet water just brings out huge hits of magic marker and pear. I much prefer it at the original strength. The mouthfeel is something else - hard-hittingly, painfully astringent, like eating too much raw pineapple. My tongue hurt for nearly an hour after drinking this, sweet and fruity though it was. The trade-off is the interesting, very lengthy finish of lime juice and lime pickle, just like having a meal at my favourite South Indian restaurant.

Verdict:

I like this.