Nose: Oily and sooty, with hints of hot kippers doused in butter. Anchovy too, with a touch of vanilla and sweet pipe tobacco.
Palate: Very spicy and oily. This is mouth-coating stuff, with smoked chilli heat, and a good dollop of malt. It’s all about the peat intensity and, even at just 5 years of age, it has a decent amount of complexity. It becomes biscuity late palate, with gingernut and hints of feta cheese.
Finish: It ends on huge spices, and a wonderful cucumber note. The bourbon flavours from the initial cask come through at the end, with char and butterscotch.
Overall: Great stuff; this oozes complexity, and punches well above its weight. Trying it at the distillery was fantastic, and it was made all the better by the little bits of barrel char floating around in the bottle. We love whisky that’s rustic, unfiltered, and straight up. It can’t be beat...