My Handcrafted Opinions on Whiskies, Distilleries and Other Related Stuff
The nose on 43.4% expression is very floral with some wheaty breakfast biscuits and spicy notes. The taste is very smooth with baked spiced apples (maybe even slightly burnt) caramel and honey. The finish has some slow building heat along with some Bovril (salty / meaty) notes. Reminded me of good Texas barbeque brisket with strong spice bark. Overall a ittle too much burnt, salty and bitter notes with not enough sweetness to balance it for me.
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The nose is honey sweet with sherry, raisins and citrus. The taste is quite woody and spicy, but still rich and smooth. Sherry and oak to the fore but with some sweet dark fruits like dates and prunes and even nuts all in the background. Drying oaky finish as well. Not my favorite 'fiddich.
This blend has a light nose with malt and citrus, like a baked lemon square. The taste is classic triple distillation. Sweet and smooth with citrus, banana, toffee, vanilla and oak and slightly drying finish with hints of leather and spice. When you add water it becomes more honey sweet and floral. Available everywhere, and I mean everywhere (bars, supermarkets, restaurants, hotel mini bars, gas stations, air planes etc) and always great value, this is nearly always in my house. Proof positive that great whisky doesn't have to be expensive or exclusive and sometimes large sales numbers reflect the simple fact that the whiskey is very, very good.
A great example of what time can do for a whisky. Compared to Talisker 10 year old this is much more mature, smooth and for my money, drinkable whisky. The nose is dominated by peat. The taste is initially sweet and has the signature pepper Talisker is known for, but much more subdued. Smoke dominates, but doesn't over power, and fruit, butterscotch and toffee are all there in the background. Smoke lingers in the finish. If like me you find the 10 year Talisker a little rough and ready and lacking finesse, then seek this one out. It is worth the extra investment.
Another example supporting the argument that Scotland does not have a monopoly on great single malt whisky. This was actually the first Japanese whisky I tried and I was immediately impressed. The nose is complex, malty sweet, sherry, fruits and a hint of oak. The taste is sweet at first, smooth and mouth coating, rich and beautiful like a fruitcake. Some peppery heat builds and the finish is long and drying with a little smoke. With water it becomes sweeter and even slightly perfumed. A fantastic after dinner whisky.