Nose: First, a lovely heather floral perfume. Slightly peaty but, unlike the pungent Islay style or the wood-stove warmth of Ardmore, this is less smoky and more aromatic. Honey smoked ham. Gentle and sweet. Vanilla frosting with graham crackers.
Palate: Fresh malty taste, dry without bitterness. Oyster crackers, port wine. The faintest hint of sherry cask influence. Something like clove or ginger in the background. Definitely some brine, humid sea air. Would pair well with oysters.
Finish: Potpourri, lavender, heather, thyme. Mouthwatering, although sticky in a lingering way like honey. Not especially long, but a mouthcoating palate affords a finish that lingers and suggests various flavors of clover honey, spice, seashore, and mint. All tied together by a theme that balances sherry sweetness with dry peat.
Additional notes:
- I love smoke. It's really important for people who consider themselves Scotch drinkers to acknowledge the fact that if there is such thing as "terroir" in scotch whisky, the peating process expresses it most clearly.
- Every region's peat imparts different aromas and degrees of smokiness.
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The nose knows