ABV
46%
Region
Highlands
Bottling
Douglas Laing
Cask type
Sherry Butt (# DL13378, 435 btl.)
Nose
The nose starts off with brittle, toffee and notes of sherry. This is followed by some fruits (strawberry), mocca and anise with a floral hint of violet in the back.
Palate
Rich, sweet and warming on the palate with lots of sherry, complex fruits (physalis) and white pepper spice. Becomes slightly dry towards the finish with a touch of bitter orange and oak.
Finish
The finish shows medium length with dark fruit jam, cocoa, allspice and slightly bitter notes of oak.
With water
Fresher on the nose when a few drops of water are added. Yellow fruits, mixed with ginger and cinnamon spice. Sweet and creamy on the palate with fruit jam and allspice, pepper and dry oak. Less warming. The finish is medium long with creamy fruit, citrus, ginger and cocoa.
Comments
This single cask bottling shows a delicate fruitiness, nicely mixed with chocolaty flavours and balanced by warm spices. A young whisky which isn't dominated by the sherry yet. For the sherry freaks, a few more years in the butt would have been even better. Anyway, this Blair Athol is a nice drinkable dram in a relaxing atmosphere.
I thank Douglas Laing for the image!