VITALS:
- $35
- 80 Proof
- 12 Years
- Scotland (Speyside)
This blog has been very American Whiskey-centric as of late. I'd like to say I'm going to make an effort to try to explore more Scotches, Irish Whiskeys, Japanese whiskeys and the like. But, my spending habits recently tell me that that is not going to happen any time soon. Non-American whiskey takes up a very small portion of my crowded whiskey shelf.
That said, every time I do turn my attention away from my bourbons and ryes and pour a glass of single malt, I'm reminded how much I really do enjoy it. The consistent quality that I've always gotten out of Single Malt Scotches specifically has always impressed. Even from lower shelf stuff, I seem to find far fewer clunkers among the single malts than I do among American whiskeys. This 12-year, $35 Speyside single malt proved to be no different.
The nose was very fruity, but light and sweet. I got a lot of white grape, almost like a sweet white wine, perhaps like a Riesling. I also got some bright citrus notes like apricot. It had a light cinnamon spice, as well as some more grain forward or crackery notes, like animal crackers with an added honey sweetness. The white grape absolutely dominated this nose, however.
I mentioned consistency above, and this was the epitome of consistency. The primary notes I got on the palate were pretty much what I was getting on the nose. That sweet white grape flavor was easily the most dominant flavor. That seemed to be layered over that same sweet animal crackers note I got off the nose. I was actually surprised at how closely the flavor matched the nose in this respect.
I did get a bit of a cooked peach note. Perhaps that's where the apricot scent went. It had the added spice though, with a touch of cinnamon and even some brown sugar to sweeten it up. There was no question that this came across as a sweeter whiskey, perhaps at times too sweet. But, at other times it seemed to really suit my mood.
The finish, however, was thin and close to non-existent. It seemed that as soon as I swallowed each sip the flavor disappeared with it. I thought this was a bit odd. There was a slight lingering honey note, leaving a certain amount of sweetness behind, but almost none of the flavor or spice that I had enjoyed up front.
While I wanted more out of the finish, and perhaps a bit more complexity, this nonetheless reminded me of what I love about single malts, and did make me want to put more of an effort into expanding what I'm drinking. And for $35, I'd happily drink this again.
Grade: B
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