If I were making a christmas cake (which I've never done and probably never will!) I'd be likely to garnish it with a generous slug of this instead of brandy. But that might be down to the power of suggestion based on the label.
The details
Distillery: Unknown Speyside distillery
Owner: N/a
Translation: N/a
Region: Speyside
Bottler: Atom Labs
Age: 8 year old Speyside single malt.
Distilled/bottled: Unknown. Likely distilled 2013, bottled in 2021.
Bottle: 70cl. Good cork, tight fit.
Number of bottles: Unknown
ABV: 48%
Cask type: Unknown
Barley: Unstated
Yeast: Unstated
Filtered/coloured: Non-chill filtered
Sample date: Friday 1st July 2022.
Peated/unpeated: Unpeated
Cost: £39.95 from Master of Malt
Availability: Limited. Still available at time of writing.
Barcode: 5052598250423
I was not so impressed with this bottle when freshly opened. It seemed muted and a tad sharp. Now that it has had ample time to breath and open up, I like it much more. The original sharpness of alcohol has diminished. The character of the dram has come through. That is often the way. I don't trust neck pours; although some swear they are they best part of a bottle.
Tasting notes
Eye
Dark. Has the definite look of sherry cask influence. Spotty, runny legs.
Nose
Before water: Sweet and creamy. Clear notes of both sherry and bourbon, suggesting bourbon cask maturation with a sherry cask finish—or a vatting of bourbon-matured and sherry-matured casks. But who knows what combination of casks have been put together to make it? There are certainly no clues on the bottle. Which is part of the appeal of this series of drams from Atom.
Christmas cake & vanilla & oranges & balloon rubber & bourbon creams & dusty floorboards & newspapers & dry white wine & lemon & sawdust & almonds & after-eights & creosote & thermometer alcohol (wtf, Martin?).
I haven't eaten a date for at least a decade and couldn't tell you the difference between a Medjool date and any other date—so I can't attest to the dates reference. Sure, I'll just go with that. I admire people who can tell the difference between notes of Hebridean sea salt and Himalayan rock salt; my nose and palette are no so refined. But this is very pleasant on the nose. If this is what dates are like, I am tempted to give them another go.
After water: Water simplifies the nose, pushing back the sherry and making it more fruit-forward.
SCORE: 21/25
Taste
Before water: Satisfyingly thick mouthfeel. Warm, but not hot. Water not required.
Woodspice & tangy citrus & cough medicine & cola cubes & plums. The bitterness of dark chocolate is there. Vanilla. There's an underlying earthiness which works in tying it together, like backing singers in a band. Everything works well. No bum notes.
My palette/finish notes are rarely as detailed as my nosing notes. Probably because it's possible to sniff a whisky almost indefinitely. Once you start drinking it, it disappears fast. After I've added water I find it easier to hold a dram for longer without that touch of numbness that can start to flatten it out the individual character.
After water: Sweeter. Definite brown sugar presence. Less sherry, more bourbon. Vanilla steps up a notch. Better balance between sherry and bourbon. It wasn't really a sherry bomb anyway. I prefer this with a touch of water. It just seems more refined.
SCORE: 20/25
Finish
Before water: Good finish, but not a long finish. Not a great finish. Raisins, sherry, cherries, bitter chocolate, coffee beans, and spices lingering at the back of the tongue. Profile-wise, it's competing with a lot of other drams. Perhaps my palette simply isn't refined enough to make the distinctions.
After water: Nothing new comes out in a big way after water. Perhaps a bit of pepper. A shift in balance. Less raisin, more cherry.
For me, the finish seems significantly longer after water, perhaps because it's now less viscous and better able to get around the taste buds.
SCORE: 19/25
Overall
I'm giving this a generous 21 overall because it deserves it. It's not unique. But in terms of enjoyment, I appreciate the challenge of hunting around the glass to pinpoint the distinct notes—of which there are many. I have definitely not pinned every one.
SCORE: 21/25
Final verdict
Would I buy another bottle? I already have, but mainly under the direct instruction of the wife—who really likes this. This is the second bottle. I like it, but it's not the first bottle on my shelf I would save from a fire.
If you're having a few odd drams—jumping from style to style (as I like to do)—this is a good one to have on your shelf because it stands out well. Did I just contradict myself?
Full bodied. Rich. A wide array of fruity elements. Well balanced. Good value for money, if you ask me. It does what it says on the tin.
TOTAL: 81/100
Related
Seaweed & Aeons & Christmas Cake & Cinnamon from the same supplier/stock
As interesting but also better value than the TWE Fine Christmas Malt (2021 edition)
Comments