87 / 100
The appeal here is the push and pull between assertive pepper and a clear thread of sweetness. White pepper turning to black pepper gives the palate a gradual spice build, while barley sugar, apricot jam and orange jelly keep it from feeling one-dimensional. The coastal brine, oily wax and lingering soot add a more rugged edge, so this sounds bold rather than easygoing. For someone drawn to spice with a sweet counterpoint, that contrast makes for a compelling, distinctive whisky.
Reviewed by wildmint.sparrow
- Nose
- Petrol, candle wax, almond paste, leather, mint, oranges and apple peelings, Flint, dry oak, dried apple, pear skins, salinity, smoke and soot
- Palate
- Oily and coastal, with brine, peppery oak, smoke, wax and liquorice, White pepper turns to black pepper alongside barley sugar, apricot jam and orange jelly
- Finish
- Long, warming and earthy, with malt, oak, apple, pear, simple syrup, black pepper and salt, Lingering soot and greasy fireplace character