Malt from the most northerly mainland distillery in Scotland. This 21yo is an exceptionally well-matured version well worth a try. Highly rated by writers and entusiasts alike.
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The nose is unspectacular, but light and lovely non the less. The dram comes alive at the finish, as the fruits and caramel comes out at the end. 1 sip and you are pleased, 2 and you are engulfed, 3 and this malt really sparks your taste buds.
So I started with the 17 year old and have to say I liked it a lot, so I guessed I should move on to the 21 as Jim Murray seems to like it who am I to argue so the thing is, is it better? Well to be honest it is but is it £30 better I'm not so sure. So this is how I look at it when the 21 year old runs out would I buy the 21 again or the 17 and it would be the 17 and then put the £30 left over towards another whisky. That said its a great whisky!!!
a bad start. upon opening, the bloody cork disintegrated! luckily I had those good ol twisty cork things around to surgically fish it out without leaving a big mess...anyway onwards: a nice big "glug" as a pour a generous dram into a whisky glass. the colour is a rich golden amber and after a tea spoon of water and a few swirls, i dug my nose deep in for a sniff. lots of caramel and fruit. quite oily on the lips. the initial explosion is of vanilla fruit caramel honey and anything else sweet I can think of bounces around the mouth like a game of squash. reminds me a bit of the balvanie 12 at this point. it is unquestionably smooth (I hate using that word is describing whiskys). the surprize and most memorable aspect of the drink has to be the after taste which kicks in VERY late and lasts VERY long... an explosion of spice. not of the pepper variety but more of a "ginger dynamite"... layers and layers of it... how odd... I think to savour the drink properly, one should definitely let the entire end-game pass by before starting again... not something that can be appreciated in quick succession... Perhaps I might try with an ice next time but I think the spices will thrive more in neat form... and now I'm gonna go hunt down something to cork up the tasty bastard...
What a sneeky little gem this is. Took my delivery of this yesterday and I dont know if it's a bad sign or a good sign that I was immediately cracking this open for a taste; given that it was 9am. So are the chores of life. Caught me totally off guard, the nose was very light and subtle with delicate fruit and floral notes and something every so slightly sweet - not what I expected for something 21 years old. Times for breakfast, so down the hatch it goes; initially sweet, full and very smooth - I do like indeed, an not what I was expecting following the nsoe. All of a sudden something ignites in my mouth like these guys from Wick have managed to cleverly conceal a tiny stick of dynamite inside this scotch, it's not alcohol burn but layers of spice kicked out of nowhere - yee gods! ....and then it's gone, back down to a long aftertaste of honey and trails off to a nice drying finish which has got me reaching the glass for more. This is a whisky Ninja! It's all stealth and sneek and then when you least expect it, bam, it attacks and then slinks off and quiet toes. Stunning.
Excellent lasting flavour and great for collection.
