A youthful Blair Athol that has been matured in a re-charred ex-bourbon hogshead. Spicy & Sweet profile.
Nose: Quite a floral opening – heather, pine, nettles and beeswax. Florals are joined by some gentle toffee and fudge aromas and supported by wet leaves and moss. A little dilution brings out more defined fruit – apples – and along with it, enhanced sweetness.
Taste: Surprisingly rich and full given the delicate nose. Honey, toffee and light coffee grounds are joined by dry peppery spice, earthiness and hay. Water gives a lovely buttery mouthfeel and adds notes of chocolate, cake and freshly baked goodies.
Finish: Medium, packing toffee for sweetness, and peppery spice which is somewhat drying.
Initially somewhat one-dimensional, this Blair Athol is greatly improved with a few drops of water. Whilst I’m not the biggest fan of florals, in this instance, they fit in quite well with the deeper, more sugary toffee and cake flavours. You’d probably not guess this was 7 years old from the outset….diluted it has a bit of character about it.