hs305 scored this whisky 86 points

All Edradour drams I tasted so far were sub-standard with the best scored 83 points in my books. So I am brave and bought a bottle for 68 Euro today - to give Edradour another try...
...and it is better, at least. Still it is not really good but an average modern style sherried whisky with a major herbal spike. If you like such a profile this is probably fine - for my taste buds it is a litte too bitter-drying, to be honest. But the best Edradour I had so far...
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The colour is old oak and the nose offers a modern herbal-driven sherry profile with some cheesy aromas that are a typical Edradour characteristic. Luckily, this time the cheese is rather tasty and not of the "sweaty socks" type. Later spices and bitter wooden notes join together with strong grassy and waxy aromas while the cheese somewhat vanishes. By the way, no sulphur besides a minor meatiness.
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The taste is layered on herbal and cheesy flavours first with dark chocolate and hot spices (peppers, chili, ginger) added quickly. Later toffee and dried fruits join in as well as nutty flavours. Towards the finish all mingles together to a tasty spiced dark chocolate with 90 per cent cocoa (so it is rather bitter) that I like, actually.
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The dram arrives hot and somewhat coating on the palate with a minor drying-astringent feeling (tannins at work). The finish is long and turns (even) more spicier and chocolatey which is tasty in that combo. There is this astringent feeling again towards the end (the tannins strike back). Water smoothes both the nose and taste but I like the neat dram better.