__Blended-Malts

Big Peat

Color: Gold
We feel the peat to fifty centimeters. A fine peat, perhaps a bit too dominant at first. Then hints of smoke and citrus appear quite clearly though masked by the ubiquitous peat.
In the mouth also, peat overwhelming subtle hints of citrus fruit or ripe fruit ... Hard to say in this heap of turf.
A lingering finish, also marked by intensely ... peat.
Exclusively for fans of peat .

__Blended-Malts

12 Years Old Orkney

Nose: dry sherry, a little animal nose first, a note of toasted almonds, a hint of exoticism thereafter but lacks punch. Thereafter, surprisingly evolves with notes of metal and even fish!
Mouth: a nice progressive complexity of ripe fruit and exotic. Coconut. Seems old, refined and elegant. A little spice. Superb balance. A little watery?
Finish: medium with some milk chocolate in retro olfaction

Nose: on honey, mint and fruit (apricot)
Taste: first on exotic fruits, then fishing, then the spices, lightly smoked.
Finale: Short on white fruit

Color: Light Amber

Nose: The nose is at first spicy with hints of exotic fruits. I then noted the impressions of soap and wax.

Taste: The taste is strongly marked by fresh exotic fruits and mainly caramelized pineapple.

Finale: The finish is smooth. You lose the fruity caramel to stay on. Good aromatic persistence.

Nose: Fruity citrus, citrus with spices. Not very complex but well blended and balanced.

Taste: Chocolate and white chocolate. Very ripe fruit.

Final: Chocolate with spices, dried fruits and fresh fruits.

This whisky is not very complex but very drinkable with a wonderful balance. Unfortunately, after 3 weeks of aeration it collapses. To drink very quickly. I really enjoyed it.

Nez: Complexe. Blackberries, Black currents, raspberies, blueberries
Mouth: Exotic fruits, fresh figs, sherry.
Final: Dry fruits, dryness from sherry

Color: Deep gold
Nose: Balanced, on autumn fruits, spices and honey.
With aeration it is more sweet and greedy.
Taste: Very delicate, on the malt, honey and some fruit in the background, mainly pear and citrus.
Aeration enhances it and emphazises fruitiness in the mouth.
Lingering finish with hints of ginger.

N: chocolate, coffee, lettuce, forest, tropical fruit, orange, pineapple.
M: chocolate, coffee, tropical fruit, vanilla, roasted.
F: chocolate, coffee, pepper.

Nose: Fragrant, floral (violet, jasmine) with delicious fruity notes (gooseberry, orange, tangerine), oakand. Live, fresh, with a touch of freshness or coastal sea.

Taste: Multicolor: Floral (violet, lavender, rose) and fruity (morello cherry, blackcurrant, kiwi, peach, citrus). Very fine, elegant, fluid with a spicy oak perfectly integrated and tiny tasty notes of toffee, cocoa. Lacks a little body, and punch length (dilution too strong), but a delicious pure immediate pleasure whisky .

The nose starts on fresh heady flowers, but also medicinal scents. Then, yellow fruit (banana) and wood appear, to give this a wonderfully complex nose, all in a warm mood. Ventilation will allow peaks of pine resin and ether to come first, while the woody and fruity notes turn out surprisingly towards sherry and chocolate. The nose is very charming, almost greedy.

The first palate reveals notes of sweet, all in a suave ambient. We think of rum. Earthy peat, spices, bitterness and smoke will come next. Another beautiful complexity, although less marked than in the nose, a mouth of an average power. Ventilation will allow more woody flavors to appear. Finally, touches of mint tea can be perceived. A mouth below the nose, too bad.

The final, average, is a first step on a very sweet / fruity (rum) profile. On the second time, the wet peat and a touch bitterness take over. Ventilation allows greedy notes (Chocolate) to show.

In conclusion, a whisky rather technical, pleasing to my taste, but will probably not win unanimous support. A nice favorite.

Colour: Old gold, teak.
Nose: 1st nose, light, very light. It is very soft and smooth, but difficult to decipher. Seems sherry. Very nice and promising, but fails to develop.
Taste: sweet and creamy, pleasant, harmonious, but like the nose, so we can not melt analysis.
Finale: In line with the nose and mouth.

Comment: Very close, though very enjoyable. Very balanced and melted. Perhaps too in order to analyze it. Very easy drinkable, the addition of water, without actually revealing it, makes it even more fun, more easy drinkable, and makes it even more frustrating not being able to dissect. Definitely a great potential once it is open. Adding water does nothing.

First impression of complexity and balance: initially made of strawberry jam, India wood (between cinnamon spice and white pepper), turpentine. With a little aeration, the aromas become richer with some vanilla, smoked tea, sweet exotic fruit (mango, coconut, banana) and a pleasant and mild acidity. With even more, discrete plaster hints made a timid appearance, apple cutter, the hazelnut, sweet almond. On the palate is crisp, slightly drying effect, with apple and damson plums kind of pastry cream, rare spices (even the wood from India) and the vegetarian chili (chili and flavorful that pic not). The moderate final, with a good length, opens with spicy notes found in the mouth and enriches with a nice fresh pineapple and ginger freshness
A cosy whisky, pleasant and balanced taste. Nice to taste and to drink.

Amber color.
Sweet nose of sherry. Greedy. A bit of wood (but not too woody), spices. Nice balance. Some fresh fruits bring a little freshness. Pastry hint (orange cake).
Light mouth with notes of classic.sherry Still this delicacy. A little fruit. Very slight hint of smoke.
Short finish, very short ... TOO short! Some woody notes.
The nose is very interesting but the rest is sorely lacking power.

Color: Yellow copper.
Nose: Here is one that has a little trouble getting out of the glass. Let's wait a bit. OK. Patience paid off. Remains very light (where is the alcohol?), but gets more expressive now. Pleasantly flowery, with a nice fruitiness and delicate touches of honey. Diluted orange blossom honey? Gets more complex. Delicate peat (whiffs of sea breeze), and even a touch of liquorice.
Mouth: Fresh and juicy attack, though a bit weak (probably no more than 43%). Unfolds on gentle notes of fresh oranges, enhanced with a pinch of salt. As for the nose, a very discreet and natural peat arrives then, like these whiffs of damp earth mixed to the cold smoke that come out of the chimneys during summer rainy days spent in the mountain. A coastal whisky, but the honey and fruit lead us more towards the Northern Territories than on Islay.
Finish: Sustained by tannins hidden in the background so far, it shows a slight astringency and a subtle woody bitterness.
Comment: A flawless malt, nicely complex, but a bit too shy. Highly drinkable, perhaps even a bit to easily drinkable. A handful of additional degrees wouldn't have hurt.

Nose: Really needs time to open. Basket of fruits, exotic, cereals, toffee, acid drops
Mouth: Too much diluted, fruity, spicy, exotic (slightly), lack of punch. The final is spicy, fruits (exotic), and lack of punch.

Colour : Amber

Nose : Very nice. This dram smells like sherry. Beautiful hints of almond, milk chocolate and rancio. Very fruity, tastes like a Longmorn. We then shift towards hints of leather, wood varnish, black tea even. We could stay for a while, it is not disgusting. Very well integrated alcohol.

Mouth : Not bad, the mouth follows, even if the dilution probably erased some of the complexity. Still pretty fruity, on the sherry and the varnish. A little bit of coconut at the end. A bit marked by oak. But still neat.

Final : Medium, on coconut and light varnish.

Conclusion : a nice dram, that I would have like less diluted. A very nice nose, a mouth that doesn't completely keep up, but interesting anyhow.

Dark gold

Nose starts with a juicy pear. After a note of cold candle wax but very discreet. It evolves into woody notes and coffee.

Mouth fluid, oily limit. Quite hot and very sweet. A taste of ground coffee and fruit. Then a taste of bottled water (?)

Final still soft as the mouth. A look back at more honeyed notes. But really too short.

Colour: Old gold
The first nose is discreet but reveals lovely floral notes and spice, good intensity after a few long moments.
On the palate, an interesting contrast between ripe fruit and some nice woody notes, giving it a nice complexity. Nice contrast, although the whole remains extremely smooth. Pear with a hint of coffee. A little too sweet to be perfect.
The finish is of good length, marked mainly by the taste of chocolate and coffee that originated in the mouth.

The nose is sweet, on marzipan and ripe fruit (mirabelle plum / pear) in a malty background and a light spiciness. The mouth is mellow, fruity and spicy. The finish does not bring much more, it is quite nice but not very long.

Nose: Nice nose of Earl Grey tea, delicately fruity on the yellow fruit (ripe plum). Small acidic peak. Slightly spring. Beautiful barrel wood.

Mouth: quite mild, creamy, wet oak. Nothing spoils the taste, but nothing makes it exceptional either.

Final: fatty residue on the tongue and palate, a little bitterness of the endive. Good integration of alcohol.

Color: Light amber

Nose: The first nose has a nice tangy fruity, full of green apple. It is quickly joined by malty aroma and a more synthetic rubber . The whole remains weak. Aeration brings him round, with hints pastry. The sour aspect tends to fade.

Mouth: The mouth, after an attack a little watery, does not lack power but a bit of expressiveness. It presents a mixture of fruity sweetness (very sweet apple), bitterness and pungent green spicy (white pepper). Alcohol is, however, feel.

Finish: Medium length, slightly bitter. Without expression.

Conclusion: A proper whisky, nice nose, but lacking complexity. In addition, alcohol needs to be better integrated in the mouth.

Appearance: yellow gold
Nose: low intensity, fairly well integrated alcohol, malty, orange confit, roasted barley
Taste: low intensity, linear, keeps its flavors from the beginning to the end of the mouth
Finish: short
Conclusion: Basic whisky, interesting profile, it's a pitty that the whisky has not more aromatic intensity

__Blended-Malts

12 Years Old Islay

Nose: Great nose, very complex even if not engaged easily. It smells "old whisky." Pepper (Espelette?) Or pepper. Fruit, delicate smoke, iodine (sea but also medicinal), wisdom! Lacks a little power to be wildly captivating. Metal hint also with aeration. The best nose I discovered as part of WDTS.
Very silky mouth, attack on the smoke and rapidly changing over the fruit to get back on the fire! Fish notes also.
A final bit of smoke too, but some persistence
Conclusion A very good malt, maybe a little watery, with a recessed mouth with regard to the nose, but very beautiful. Too "easy drinkable".

Colour: Pale amber.

Nose: Stewed fruits, sherry, and peat. Bodes very well so far! On the fruit side, there’s lots of things. Baked apple with lots of brown sugar and cinnamon. Speculoos. Raisins soaked in Armagnac. Orange peels. The peat is earthy. Fallen leaves under the rain turning to mould. And at the end, a little note of crystallized lemon. Very sherried-Port-Ellen in the style.
Mouth: Starts a bit weak (42%?). But then, wow ! That is really good! The softness of the peat pervades your mouth. Bold and coating. Peaty and biscuit at the same time (the speculoos strike back!). And there’s this little dusty taste in the second part of the mouth that once can sometimes find in this kind of peaty malt and that I don’t dislike.
Finish: Long, bold and tasty. A delicate lemony bitterness reminds us of the crystallized lemons we had on the nose.

Comment: Woops! I just realize that I didn’t use my spittoon… That must be a good sign, I guess?

Colour: pale amber
Nose: Elegant, a fruity sherry, orange and chocolate, slightly smoky, heather, honey, nuts and some vinous notes .
Palate: Great balance between a fine peat and fresh fruit, grapefruit, lime and pear.
A little vanilla in the background, and spices.
Finish: Long on a nice citrus acidity noted by an elegant peat.

Color: Yellow Gold.
Nose: nose first on a sour peat evolving quickly with notes of lemon. A nice minty freshness. Some vegetation on the juniper. However, a little watery. More discreet notes of red fruits and a touch pastry. A hint of toasted bread crust. Over time, becomes so heady floral. Once installed, the power remains constant, although very controlled. The nose develops between the different flavors so well balanced.
By leaving it open longer, nose discovers present pretty animal notes, in leather and dried meat.
Water tends to weaken the nose, causing it to lose much of its personality.
Mouth: oily and creamy, dense and compact, very homogeneous, round and balanced, fused to such an extent that it is very difficult to discern the components until you realize that this is the perfect synthesis of collected all the notes on the nose.
Like the nose, a few drops of water are enough to graze the surdilution.
Final: In the perfect line of the mouth, it evolves gradually over the woody notes slightly astringent.
Water is even more harmful to the finals on the nose and mouth, making soap.

Comments: The nose is pleasant dice the first few minutes, but give him time allows him to reveal unsuspected facets. Pretty mouths and finals that spoil anything. Water is not recommended

Colour: Old gold
Smells of barbecue cold ashes, of charcoal, peat form the first olfactory impressions. Pretty complex, beautiful balance of various odors that mix, while remaining fairly homogeneous. After a few moments, some bitter notes (gentian) are added to the picture.
A beautiful presence in any case.
The mouth does not deny the nose. Here's a nice presence, first on the notes of cold barbecue. Some bitterness comes on. A kind of dominant bitterness , difficult to define, a little heady, slightly acid. Here too no monotony, a very pleasant mouth.
The finish is moderately long, in the line with the mouth and nose. No surprise.

Nose on peanuts, peanut butter and sweetened coffee. Maybe even the cakes Bastogne. Rather delicate whisky. And for once, rather greedy. Then the smell of something burning or glowing. Annoying, I know that damn smell but I can not stick him a name! Ha so voila! It reminds me of the Ardbeg Alligator. Finally he emerges from the nose by the type of barrel. Bacon on toasted too (dry).
Spicy palate. Slightly greasy. Rather hot. We find the burned side from the nose. Even as a little cold ashes or burnt thyme. good continuity
Final very fluid. Return on a long pungent with a touch of bitterness to enhance the whole.
I found the taste of cinnamon cake from the nose. With, I think, a little pepper. And also the burnt side of the whole. Still not bad!

Comment: Good, good. Good but still behind on the note. Compared with whatever eventually. I liked, but hey .. I can not go above. Perhaps too much reduction?

appearance: yellow gold
nose: medium intensity, well integrated alcohol, solvents at the beginning, honey from the forest, marzipan, minty freshness, slightly dirty side (old fat) and a discrete peat
taste: low to medium intensity, alcohol well integrated, taste in the same line as the nose but the peat / smoke is in the forground without becoming dominant
finish: medium
Conclusion:
A complex and harmonious whisky, a pity that it lacks a bit in intensity (especially in the taste), nevertheless I like this whisky.

Nose: Peaty to very peaty, maritime, with some tar and hemp rope. Rather clean and with some apples.
Taste: Dry to very dry, with some green apples, some light green fruity notes, slightly bitter-citric, on tar and ashes. The finish is medium, peaty, aromatic, slightly mineral and on quince. Diluted, it becomes more mineral and on aromatic peat.
Impression: A pleasant, rather complex, with maritime notes on the nose that disappear on the palate to release aromatic peaty flavours.

Colour: Old gold
Nose: Powerful, marked by a beautiful oily and medicinal peat (Betadine, ether) mixed citrus (lemon) and a dash of exoticism and grenadine lying on a background of vanilla sweetness. It is more animal with aeration, with of leather and farmy aromas. An iron fist in a velvet glove that is reminiscent of the excellent Laphroaigs 10yo CS, in a milder form.
Palate: The attack is soft, sweet peat before the flood occurs. Many cold ashes brightened by a lovely hint of the exotic and tangy few notes, all without departing from its sweetness. However, it lacks a little body and fat to get close to excellence.
Finish: Medium length, with the return and peaty notes of grenadine nose.

Conclusion: A good peaty whisky, relatively complex but lacking a little fat and power. Pity.

The first nose quepart immediately plums, all kinds of plum, cherry plum to prune through the quetsche or greengage. And then the apricot comes with rice - I have not been able to determine whether it was the sticky rice or rice-tempered - and house dust. With aeration, camphor, raspberries and rum are emerging. It's fun and interesting. On the palate, the attack is clear and opens with a light fruitiness and spice. Of sweetness, salt and pepper, sole meuniere, coffee. The final medium length, is marked by spices (pepper) dominating, and salt.
The nose and the final are pleasant and interesting, but I find the mouth a little hollow.

Nose: Peated lemon / orange, mandarin, dry white wine and salt.
Palate: Soft, light lemon, slightly watery.
Final: Lemon, dry smoke, mandarin, anise, mint, herbs, candy cola. Nice balance and long finish.

Comments: Made me think of HP than twenty something years aged in bourbon casks as I tryed many recently.
This is good stuff but it lacks a little complexity and mouth power.

Light gold color
Nose: The nose opens with smoke and damp straw. It is fresh and has a certain hardness. It then opens to offer greater complexity with a strong presence of fresh fruit (pear).
Palate: The palate is smooth with the alcohol that is present. It is very fruity (pear yet). The texture evolves towards a more oily side and notes of Malabar chewing gum.
Finish: The finish is of medium intensity, but remains fresh fruity

Colour: Old gold.
Very light nose with hints of caramel. Not very expressive. Peat. A little meaty.
Mouth very light, slightly watery, dominated by peat. An oily peat, heavy. Sea. Hints of sherry.
Final little long, not very intense. Peaty, salty. Some wood.
A very interesting whisky but that seems far too diluted.

color: light amber
nose: caramel, toffee, coffee, oak and warm honey
taste: very smooth and mellow, rich with a delicate oaky flavour and a little mocca, the finish is warm and smooth, also with oaky notes and toffee flavour

Nose: beautiful dry peat (with mushroom, leather, smoke, pepper, grass), mixed with sherry (dry wood, dried fruit, salt). There is a tendency to citrus (orange). Nice.
Taste: Smoke & bitumen, all very overwhelming which is struggling to forget. Better later: wooden salted, candied fruits, dry fruits, softer on sweets & vanilla. This is not enough, because the final (peat) is coming too fast.
Final: reminder of peat (leather, herbaceous & smoked)
Conclusion: disappointed by the mouth, it's a pity, because it seemed promising on the nose (peat + sherry, an alliance which can be very effective).

Nose: A little peat that dissipates quickly, then the fruit, malted barley, yeast and honey. Requires long aeration to prove.
Mouth: pleasant but fairly volatile. Fruity, spicy. The violet on the finish.
Final: Long and slightly bitter.

Pleasant, well done but not exceptional.
I was reminded successively and as having the characteristics, Cragganmore, Clynelish and Bowmore.

The nose suggests a nice marine influence on smoke and salt, accompanied by lots of citrus (lemon, orange) and sugar. Quickly, this sweetness will take over. We then have a lot of orange, with something warm. The whole is relatively decent, even if it evaporates quickly. With aeration, we see a little gum and yellow fruit.
The palate confirms the nose, it is fruity (strawberry) and citrusy (orange). It is relatively mild, before a discrete appearance of peat and almonds. With aeration, it has also a little cold ashes and oil. The set then becomes watery.
The final, average, is on wet farmy flavors. And a bit of lychee.
Finally, a decent whisky, that lacks of complexity and density to earn more.

Color: Gold
Nose: First, it seems fat with an alcohol very present. We feel the cooked fruit - apples - salted butter, with vegetable notes slightly smoky - peat -. With aeration, notes of pie crusts come out and the vegetal takes vegetable gardens sides - greens -. The water revives a little more dough and pie has a hint of citrus.
Taste: spicy bitterness is balanced across hazelnut and cereal a vegetal wrapped in canvas - veil peaty -. The salt is present, too much even. A simple mouth where alcohol is manifested shamelessly. Water does not add much. Balance is a bit tight.
Final: falls fast enough given its power on the palate, the continuity of the latter. The fauces evolved on the smoked vegetal .

Comment: A vegetal whisky , with a little smoke - peat fairly discreet -. The nose is more complex than the mouth that is quite powerful with medium alcoholic integration. It is nevertheless quite pleasant despite intrusive iodine. The finish is disappointing, the flavors falling suddenly.

Colour: old gold
Nosing: barley malt, sweetness, green fruits, honey, some backgrounds smoke.
Tasting: like old style Aberlour 9 years old, clean ginger, apple peel, some peat.
Finish: not that long

Color: Gold
Nose: Light, alcohol is well integrated. Some cereal notes.
Palate: In line with of the nose, on cereals. Alcohol is more present than in the nose but fits nicely.

Final medium.

__Blended-Malts

GlenWitch 2010