Tasting Notes
Flavour Hunters Festival: We’re taking a different approach to our May Festival bottlings this year, with our range of ‘Rare Releases’, a series of six small batch single malts.
From Euan, our spirits manager: The whole notion of whisky regions is open to interpretation, but if you were to imagine a classic unpeated Highland style, then this is it – it’s in our Spicy & Dry flavour profile, with a rich mouthfeel and full of wonderful fruity esters.
The complex nose immediately evoked a generous helping of hazelnut spread. There were bars of nougat, flaked almonds, and sweet peanuts. "This is nuts!", exclaimed one humorous panellist. In time, it became more oily, chamois leather, over-ripe peaches, and nectarines as well as a leafy note, with eucalyptus and tea tree oil. To taste, we found salted caramel and white chocolate mice. Still oily, peppery nasturtium leaves, Sichuan pepper, citrus peels, and assorted gin botanicals. With water, "that's a fat distillate!", we all agreed. Sweet & creamy, a hessian sack full of barley, rum fudge, boiled toffee sweets and apple and peach Tart Tatin. The amateur baker among us picked up notes of wholemeal bread drizzled with honey and buttery brioche. The taste was full of expressive esters; pink bubble gum, red apple skins, pear drops and raspberry sherbet. We walked through an old sweetie shop, then kicked through autumn leaves before polishing antique furniture in a country manor.