Thermidor scored this whisky 77 points 
I realize the pressure to innovate, the dearth of good sherry casks, and the pleasant but inexpressive Bladnoch distillate may lead one to believe it should be spiced up in a new way, but if the end results are like this, better stick to bourbon casks. Jeez.
Tasted in this lineup of Bladnoch: 10yo Flora & Fauna (83), 11yo Distillery Label from Armstrong period (79), 12yo Single Cask #39 (77), 12yo Single Cask #40 (78), 13yo Single Cask #420 (82), 20yo 1990 cask #5338 (84), Rare Malts 23yo 1977 (87), and 8yo Heavily Peated 50ppm cask #7 (78).
Tasted in this lineup of Bladnoch: 10yo Flora & Fauna (83), 11yo Distillery Label from Armstrong period (79), 12yo Single Cask #39 (77), 12yo Single Cask #40 (78), 13yo Single Cask #420 (82), 20yo 1990 cask #5338 (84), Rare Malts 23yo 1977 (87), and 8yo Heavily Peated 50ppm cask #7 (78).
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The red wine is frightfully strong in this one. Earthy, mineral notes that remind me of some mid quality cabernet/merlot blend. Faint cloves and some muscat, then makeup powder and vanilla perfume, with a side of cardboard. With water, mushrooms just dug up from the dirt, sweat, metal (warm copper), and some berry jam. The composition is like a freak version of what you'd expect of a port-matured whisky, dissonant and strange. Bach's Air played with a solo tuba.
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Sweet. Marmalade, then mushrooms and chocolate sauce, and wine gums. A strange combo to say the least. Water emboldens the mushroom side too much and this is no longer fun, even as a curiosity. The copper tastes here as well. I can't tell what they were going for with this, and have no idea if the experiment was a success in their mind, but to me it's a wreck, with all hands onboard sinking beneath the waves of Californian red,
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Oddly hollow compared to the assault on the senses the nose and the taste are. Long on this strange marmalade note of strawberries and peaches.
