Rich Howard | the nose is surprisingly restrained for a whisky this dark, with time and patience, there are subtle notes of raisins, blackcurrant jam, red grapefruit, hints of maple syrup, nutmeg, dark chocolate, maduro tobacco, and a good handful of twigs. the palate follows suit, although a bit more robust than the nose, with plenty of unsweetened blackcurrant and raisins, black dirt, and plenty of tobacco and drying oak on the finish. water a drop of water, the nose turns more to black cherry, cherry cough drops, blackberries, candle wax, nutmeg, cardamon, and of course fresh tobacco and cedar cigar box. the palate is just a bit sweeter now, a dash of sugar over the blackcurrant and black cherry, leading quickly to the tobacco and the oak, which is quite drying now. summary: earthy and spicy, with plenty of dark, unsweetened fruits, tobacco and oak... water not recommended. [tasted blind for the 2011 Awards] |
Oliver Klimek | Colour: Dark mahogany -
Nose: Prunes, dried figs, balsamic vinegar, orange zest, tobacco, old oak, hints of vanilla. -
Palate: Quite similar to the nose, with a bit less vinegar and some dark dark chocolate. -
Finish: Very long, dry and fruity with a hint of smoke. -
Overall: The slight balsamic vinegar note makes this rich old whisky a slightly unusual but extremely enjoyable delight. |