This is not a luxury Whisky
Blended Scotch Whisky
53.1% ABV (106.2 proof)
~$225 (sample provided)
Color: light chestnut brown.
Smell: restrained and delicate, despite the proof. But there is a lot going on in terms of a complex and nuanced aroma once you make an aggressive approach. "Balance" and "finesse" come immediately to mind - it's really lovely. Chocolate fudge, rum raisin ice cream, and a whisper of smoke. There's also some toasty oak influence as well as a little nuttiness. Overall it's much sweeter than it is smoky or peaty - classic "dessert scotch" smell.
Taste: big sherried sweetness upfront - baklava comes to mind with its mixture of honey, nuts, and sweet pastry dough. This initial sweet nuttiness gets complemented by a significant amount of toasty oakiness as well as a slight smokiness on the midpalate. The long finish continues the trend - at this point the sweetness has dissipated and there's a palate-encompassing toasty wood aftertaste that lingers, along with just a kiss of smoke.
Overall: it's impressive, old-ass scotch. But more than that, it's an impressive display of blending. The aroma and initial sip are all about the sweet sherried goodness, whereas the midpalate and finish are much more oak-driven. How this significant time in oak (see the final picture of the blend: the base is 19YO first fill sherry butt malt whisky, and that's complemented by 30, 40, and 40 year old grain/malt whiskies from refilled American oak casks) was masked on the nose is a mystery to me, but it's fun to get the chance to appreciate a scotch that invites you in with the promise of sweets, delivers, and then surprises you with a wallop of "I'm old" smoky woodiness on the midpalate and finish. On taste alone, it's an easy A-/A for me, but obviously this is a very expensive, limited edition offering. In short, if you regularly spring for $200+ scotches, seek this one out, because it delivers the goods.
