Craigellachie 12 Sovereign Single Cask
Wife’s Note: “Smells like inside of a brand new Buick”
This one is a mixed bag for me. It certainly smells and tastes like a distilled old leather couch from a basement of a life-long cigar smoker. Its almost unbelievable how much of a concentrated flavor there is in this relatively young scotch bottle. This is certainly a beast of a flavor bomb, without being overwhelming or cloyingly sweet. What do I think about it? I started loving it in casual touch but later revisiting don’t seem to do it for me on this one. Too astringent and to my tastes unbalanced. I really want to like it but my taste buds rebel when drinking it. Note and an exception to personal rule: One of the VERY few scotches I’ve put a tiny bit of water in, this one responds well and seems to balance out the flavors into somewhat enjoyable, walnut skins and old leather sorts of balance. So, yes, add a bit of water in!
Addendum on the water thing: I’m shocked how much more approachable it is with water. Solid stuff when just slightly diluted, borderline undrinkable (IMHO) otherwise.
https://www.klwines.com/p/i?i=1380528
Score: N/A
Auchroisk 21 Single Cask Hepburn’s Choice
Wife’s Notes: White pepper, pear and plums on the nose. Terrible in the mouth.
Another mixed bag for me in this bottle. An amazing nose. I’m mostly agreeing with wife’s smell on this, though I was thinking green bananas and pepper initially. Either way, no hints of smoke and no sherry. Looks like refill (refill-refill), bourbon casks with that sort of pale straw color. Certainly clean, peppery, yet surprisingly complex on the back that lingers and lingers… Lots of different spice going on there. Overall pleasant but not super exciting.
https://www.klwines.com/p/i?i=1380538
Score: N/A
Cambus 29 Sovereign Single Cask
I’m going to wax poetic about this one, so buckle up. Single GRAIN scotch… Its an interesting category, while still certainly a Scotch Whiskey, compared to single malt its more of a lawless land of opportunity, but what opportunities are there to be had. To be clear there are plenty of duds but the price point for 20+ y/o single grain is so low there’s no reason not to dip in. I mentioned 20 years old as for me its the lower cut off range as something ‘magical’ happens with single grains past low-20s in barrels and they suddenly become tropical. We’re talking coconut, vanilla, all sorts of tropical fruits and all in all ethereal and amazing. Whiiiiich brings up back to this one. YES. AMAZING! Love it! Still a single grain that’s not sherried or peated or anything special but age and cask is a match made in heaven. Simple indulgence.
https://www.klwines.com/p/i?i=1380523
Score: N/A