From the High Coast distillery in Sweden comes Älv, also dubbed Delicate Vanilla, released as part of the Origins Series. Älv, which translates to ‘River’ in Swedish, is also the name for the river Ångermanälven, which the distillery sits on. The single malt spent six years in first fill bourbon casks, which explains the name, as it's full of those buttery vanilla flavours we know and love from bourbon casks. In 2016, the whisky was bottled at 46% ABV, with a release of 8,259 bottles.
Lots of creamy vanilla ice cream leads, with bramble berries, salted peanuts and crème brûlée in support. Freshly grated nutmeg, dried grass, apricot yoghurt and little marzipan are present underneath.
Full-bodied and fruity, the palate begins with plenty of tropical fruit, vanilla and toffee, which mingle with spicy black pepper and a touch of toasted oak warmth.
A little cereal and dark fruit sweetness linger.
I drank this alongside seven other whiskies 4 Arran, ladeig, Glengoyne and Glencadam and it holds its own against them all. A delicious dram
Vanilla custard and some fruity notes - some intriguing flavours. However, this is buried deep below alcohol and is way too 'delicate'. This is a good example of a whisky that given more age will prove to be excellent but this bottling couldn't hold its own against a supermarket whisky priced £17.49.
Nice bourbon oak. Kind of "summery" with vanilla and fresh fruits
