87 / 100
The sherry-and-bourbon cask pairing is an interesting frame, but the notes don’t separate what either cask contributes, so I’d be cautious about assigning the flavours to one or the other. There’s plenty of contrast in the documented character: sweet sherried fruits and dark chocolate alongside savoury peat, briny smoke and pepper. The long finish, with oak, ginger and sweet aniseed, sounds particularly layered. It reads as a bold, busy single malt rather than a tidy showcase for either cask.
Reviewed by sunbeam_pebble
- Nose
- Roast chestnuts, Pear drops, Earthy smoke, Dark fruits, Floral peat, Summer rose, Fresh coconut, Brown sugar, Briny smoke
- Palate
- Savoury peat, Salted liquorice, Thick honey, Sweet sherried fruits, Poached pear, Almond cake, Toasted oak, Cracked black pepper, Dark chocolate, Salted caramel
- Finish
- Long with almond, chocolate, red chilli flake, oak, sherried fruits, light grassy smoke, black pepper, sweet aniseed, spicy sweet smoke, ginger, licorice