This malt definitely needs time and has to breathe! Yesterday briefly uncorked the bottle and immediately poured a Dram ... I must admit, I was a little disappointed. Today I gave the Orkney Single Malt at least 15 minutes time and he thanked me with his funny, if very idiosyncratic way. The muffige note after decayed wood elements, I find very borderline partly because this now and then in echoes of sulfur passes, which I do not find so tingling. Although this bottling is good drinkable without a water addition, I now give a little water. A tug is not necessary in my opinion, but tickles a few new flavors and we are a little milder. Time to breathe this filling in my opinion definitely, maybe even a little more air in the bottle ;-)
An idiosyncratic, interesting and tasty filling which may not be convincing at first contact, but definitely deserves a second chance and then guaranteed to be convincing. In my opinion, this malt needs some time to breathe! I like it, a successful forum filling.
22/22/22/23 (89P)
Edit: The more air in the bottle, the more pleasing it becomes. A few drops of water, delicious!
And yet I stay with it, Muff and Moder are present for me, if now more in the background. Tastes and tastes always better!
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Nose
Wonderfully bright copper with an orange red shimmer shines in the Premium Snifter, I watch the long and oily "legs" which adhere for an eternity to the glass wall. "This malt needs time and has to breathe" You hear some people say ... ok, we give in 15 minutes time. Mossy decayed wood elements rise up, wet leather and beguiling sweetness join in, while dark and opulent fruit flavor powerfully lifts from the glass. Dark plums and dried cherries mingle with raisins and prunes, while the freshness of menthol is in the background with Moroccan mint. The musty and decayed flavor is intensified, immediately try caramelized sugar and sweet fruit aroma to point the emerging sulfur back into its place, with success. Hints of sulfur can not be denied in my opinion, the previous breathing the Orkney single malt has done very well. The alcohol is very well integrated despite its high volume and shows only occasionally with its fresh and mentholischen kind. Dark plums and plums play with shadow morels and caramelized sugar, a hint of peat smoke comes on and is in the same moment again from a torrent muff and moder overcast.
With minimal water addition: The nose opens after a minimal addition of water and is fresher and sweeter, surprisingly, the alcohol is in my opinion even more dominant to advantage. Menthol and peppermint play with sweet plums and dates, oranges come on, the caramelized sugar appears a little sweeter in appearance, the musty and decayed wood tones sound a little less and are no longer so dominant.
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Taste
Sweet with musty and decayed wood tones, the first sip flows over the tongue and heats up the palate immediately. Voluminous rotten wood tones through the palate, plump warmth dresses the entire mouth, dried berries and grapes end in candied fruits and caramelized sugar. Spicy and dark wood elements emerge, slightly smoky, a little peat sticks to the tongue, hints of scorched wood are immediately superimposed by sweet fruit flavors and emerging freshness. The second sip is characterized by sweet fruit flavors and (why should it be otherwise at the second sip?) And musty and decayed wood tones. Wet leather and a hint of sweet tobacco followed by smoky elements, the initial hint of smoke intensifies, as well as the burned wood tones. Again and again, sweet fruit flashes on and today I feel the high alcohol content as not so dominant, today I could do without an addition of water and later I still give a little water. Slowly the salivation begins, it is fun to deal with this malt.
With minimal water addition: The malt looks sweeter and more pleasing, is definitely smoother with water. In the taste, the fresh peppermint and menthol notes are clearly highlighted and intensified by the addition of water. The leather still appears more dominant, the smoky echoes and charred wood elements are weakened. Do I now check dried tobacco and old walnuts?
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Finish
Dark, sweet and dried plums and cherries stick to the palate, raisins stick with slightly smoky hints on the tongue. Fresh mint and a touch of eucalyptus tingling through the palate, musty and decayed wood elements are dominant in the foreground. the aftertaste I perceive as medium long, while the plump warmth in connection with musty and decayed wood tones remains long and dominant in memory. With menthol freshness and a sticky sweet fruit note, the aftertaste gradually fades away.
With minimal addition of water: The echo, which is relatively short for me, is shortened by a few drops of water, and I also discover more bitter wood elements and walnuts in the finish. The aftertaste will be slightly creamier and sweeter.