Chieftain's
Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Fettercairn
Aged 19 years
Matured in Oloroso Casks
57.4% ABV (114.8 proof)
~$120 (sample provided)
Color: light golden brown
Smell: sweet and approachable, with a hint of nuttiness. The sherry influence is here in spades with lots of sweet raisin smells. I also pick up quite a bit of caramel to go along with some oak and toasted nuts. Very nice. With a few drops of water, things get much more citrusy - orange jam in particular.
Taste: quite a monster on the palate - I'm going to proof this down a tad. At cask strength, there's big sweetness upfront before the toasted nuts and oak come into play. It also finishes with some lemon zest acidity. With a few drops of water, it's faintly sweet upfront, quiet on the midpalate, and then slightly floral/nutty/citrusy on the finish. Very strange.
Overall: This was a strange experience for me in that I think it's a bit too powerful to appreciate at full proof, but surprisingly falls flat on the palate with the addition of a few drops of water. It's not unpleasant; just not super-memorable. B- for me.
