Overall rating
78.60/100
ratings
12
Whiskybase ID
WB222406
Category
Blended Malt
Bottler
Douglas Laing (DL)
Bottling series
Small Batch Release
Bottled
29.04.2021
Strength
46.2 %
Size
700 ml
Barcode
5014218797732
Added on
01 dec 2022 9:35 pm by sascuas
UncoloredNon-chill Filtered
Overall rating
78.60/100
ratings
12

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Whisky reviews for The Epicurean DL

2 users have left 2 reviews for this whisky. Average rating is 78.60 points.

Read the reviews
  1. Dzmitry_Shy scored this whisky 66 points Member Senior

    Very simple

  2. VLG scored this whisky 57 points Connoisseur

    Batch: L21 09078 CB2 09 42 29 04 21

    Despite what most people think, Epicurus was not an epicurean. In fact, he explicitly argued that bodily pleasures, fame, wealth, and banquets were neither natural nor necessary goods. He theoretically defended the life he led in practice: a life limited to natural and necessary pleasures: frugal nourishment, friendship, wisdom... and little else. For Epicurus, as we know from the few fragments of letters we have preserved, he ate what he and his community cultivated in their Garden, in the midst of nature and away from civilization, considered cheese a luxury for special occasions, and never, and I repeat, never would have bought a bottle of whisky (if he could have), because we know he despised wine. We live in an era that celebrates denaturalization, hypocrisy, vanity, and waste, so naming a mediocre whiskey after him is, despite what it may seem, completely appropriate.

    Anyway. An herbal bomb, if such a thing exists. An interesting experiment, and if its finish was more pleasant, I would like it. It is extremely similar to Hatozaki. It also reminds me a little of Glencadam 10, anCnoc 12 and Lochlea. But its organoleptic profile is quite unusual and specific, and its quality is pretty low, so it’s hard to compare and, anyway, those I just mentioned (except for the Hatozaki) are way better in every way.

    Dominant notes: Very fresh herbal notes (pine, peppermint, coriander, rosemary, Smint pastilles). Forest/wilderness notes (mint, thyme, chamomile, grass, fennel). Citrus (lime, lemon pie). Creamy, silky and barely spicy.

    Secondary Notes: Saccharin, raw vegetables (celery), flowers, oak (vanilla), sweetened condensed milk, dulce de leche, sainfoin honey, skimmed milk, old woman's perfume, bread dough, pine-scented soap, syrup for cough, metallic and mineral subtleties. It's balanced, but it's a pretty eccentric balance.

    Although it is not as eccentric as some seem to think, it is certainly as simple as others claim. It is decidedly original and specific, and I like that, but its shocking profile does not compensate for an almost total lack of complexity. Although I think it achieves what he tries, I also think that what it wants to achieve is not going to be to the taste of the majority. The color is magnificent, by the way. I like almost transparent whiskeys. Despite this, alcohol does not taste especially young.

    And I could say that I definitely like it, if it weren't for the rather unpleasant finish of this whisky. It leaves your mouth covered in an intense industrial flavor, like rubber or plastic, with chemical touches like anise extract, rancid sunflower oil and... bleach? Similar to Tamnavulin's finish. It literally ruins the experience. It builds up, becoming actually unpleasant.

    It's so herbal and eccentric that I can't predict whether the 12 year old version or the rest of the permutations might work or not. I don't know if I will try any other Epicurean, despite the fact that I have been fascinated by how different it is from everything I have tried, the finish is… terrible. So I'll probably won't risk it with any other bottle.
    Highly recommended if you fancy an adventure through unknown places for a ridiculous price. It's not spectacular, but, if you can make the effort to ignore its finish, it is, without a doubt, memorable. Me, personally, the best thing I can say about it is that I can tolerate it.

Tasting tags

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  • Chocolate
    Chocolate
  • Citric
    Citric
  • Coal-gas
    Coal-gas
  • Cooked Fruit
    Cooked Fruit
  • Cooked Mash
    Cooked Mash
  • Cooked Vegetable
    Cooked Vegetable
  • Dried Fruit
    Dried Fruit
  • Fragant
    Fragant
  • Fresh Fruit
    Fresh Fruit
  • Green-House
    Green-House
  • Hay-like
    Hay-like
  • Honey
    Honey
  • Husky
    Husky
  • Kippery
    Kippery
  • Leafy
    Leafy
  • Leathery
    Leathery
  • Malt Extract
    Malt Extract
  • Medicinal
    Medicinal
  • Mossy
    Mossy
  • New Wood
    New Wood
  • Nutty
    Nutty
  • Oily
    Oily
  • Old Wood
    Old Wood
  • Plastic
    Plastic
  • Rubbery
    Rubbery
  • Sandy
    Sandy
  • Sherried
    Sherried
  • Smokey
    Smokey
  • Solvent
    Solvent
  • Sweaty
    Sweaty
  • Toasted
    Toasted
  • Tobacco
    Tobacco
  • Vanilla
    Vanilla
  • Vegetative
    Vegetative
  • Yeasty
    Yeasty