If any of you tried last month’s 16, you’ll know what to expect here. Those that didn’t well – hold tight. 7 year old peated Glenturret that’s been drawn from a recharred hogshead. Heavily peated profile.
Nose: Swirling vaporous smoke that’s part industrial revolution with axle grease and smouldering rubber, and part farmyard with hay, stiles and more than a hint of fishtank. The addition of water adds definition across the board – beach rock pools, engine oils, fish market, preserved lemons and burned out cars.
Taste: The arrival delivers fresh limes and sweet sponge – and then goes insane with an explosion of filthy peat smoke. Bonfires, TCP, iodine, tarred ropes and burnt rubber meet barn loft, pig sty, damp hay and gruyere cheese. This builds and builds and is hard to describe in words the level of intensity that is present. The back palate restores a small semblance of normality with lemons and limes sitting alongside digestive biscuits, toasted bread and buttered seafood.
Finish: Medium to long and presenting liquorice root, tart citrus and coastal minerals.
Dante’s Mondeo is frankly pretty bonkers – whilst the nose provides hints of what’s to come, the detonation of grimy, industrial peat smoke is still rather unexpected. This is not going to be for everyone – nor (unless you’re a whisky masochist) a daily drinker. However, there’s still a strange balance here, and as the cheapest bottle of the outurn, I’d certainly recommend it for those who like things powerful, but strange.