This was the second discovery at the Arrowine/Impex tasting in Washington DC on Saturday. Honestly, I wasn't expecting a lot out of a 9 Year Speyside, but this bottle really pleasantly surprised me.
This delicious dram is non-chill-filtered and uncolored, and bottled at a delectable 55.7% ABV cask strength. In my opinion, this provides even more proof that every Scotch should be bottled at cask strength, as it maximizes the strengths and minimizes the weaknesses. I liked this one so much I bought a bottle. Here are my thoughts:
Nose: Sweet candle wax, sweet oranges, clementines, honey, wood tannins, cocoa, and white tea (!). A truly delicious nose, pungent and fragrant - but with a lot of alcohol tickle. The orange and the tea dominate, lusciously.
Mouthfeel: Oily, silky, medium volume.
Palate: Thick, rich oranges, a little nuttiness (hazelnuts? almonds?), strong alcohol bloom, malt sweetness, white tea, various berries, and a strong taffy flavor (wax and orange together?) that was really fun to encounter. A great series of flavors.
Finish: White wine, and a strong leathery oakiness that takes over the finish.
Verdict: This was a surprising find - I was fully prepared not to like this "underaged" Speyside, but instead it was completely delicious - more oranges than Dalmore, the nice taffy flavor (which is really an extension of the candle wax scent on the nose), and a certain drying woodiness underneath that counterbalances everything. I bought a bottle, and am much looking forward to opening it.
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