hs305 scored this whisky 89 points 
[September, 2019] According to Irish law the age statement of an Irish whisk(e)y counts the years of maturation on Ireland only. So this dram matured additional 2 years in Campbeltown (which is not that far away from Ireland)...
...but actually, in a blind tasting I would have betted this is an old single cognac from Charpentier distillery. Very, very interesting to find these unusual notes in a whisk(e)y. I really like it, but I am not sure if others not used to these flavours will enjoy them too. Simply try it by yourself!
...but actually, in a blind tasting I would have betted this is an old single cognac from Charpentier distillery. Very, very interesting to find these unusual notes in a whisk(e)y. I really like it, but I am not sure if others not used to these flavours will enjoy them too. Simply try it by yourself!
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The colour is old gold and the nose offers a somewhat strange profile of furniture polish, old leather, paraffin and machine oils. The official tasting notes are a joke (according to my olfactory cells), I do not find any of the mentioned fruits at all (but maybe you do?). Nonetheless, this mixture is very interesting and actually I like it for its nonconformity. It reminds me a little bit of old cognac.
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The fruits pop up in the taste - boldly and impressive. Lots of exotic fruits flavours join a vanilla-toffee cream in a firm wooden setting. This is tasty and very sippable and astonishingly complex for a 12-years old maturation. Water releases more waxy notes in the nose and turns both taste and finish even more cognac alike. Strange, but I really like it (because I adore old and well-matured cognac as well).
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The dram arrives warming but not really coating on the palate without distracting moments. The finish is of medium length and adds an interesting flavour to the taste that reminds me a lot of old single cognac, e.g. from Charpentier distillery that Cadenhead sells too. Maybe they re-racked an Irish whisk(e)y bulk delivery into empty old cognac casks without stating this on the label (no, they are not obliged to do so)?
