濃密的深色水果

產地 : Speyside 斯佩賽

列為「最高等級」的麥芽威士忌；成立於1890年間，位於Rothes與Elgin之間，且緊鄰它的姊妹廠，Benriach。這家蒸餾廠的麥芽威士忌主要為Chivas調和威士忌的主要基酒。所以我們很驚訝這桶麥芽威士忌能免除，並讓我們有機會品嚐到。舊的歐勒蘿索雪莉酒桶(Oloroso sherry butt)將威士忌染成深琥珀色，並帶點紅色的光輝。一開始聞時有水果般耐人尋味的濃密香氣─過熟的水果，慢慢變成浸泡在來姆酒的乾果，接著轉變為溶解的羌活和糖漬的果皮香。再仔細細聞，還可以聞到麝香葡萄的芳香、橡木油脂的味道，最後是假漆的味道。不摻水也容易入喉；甜美乾純的馥郁口感，但不過於強烈，與些許雪利桶的餘香。加水後會讓原本的複雜風味平坦化；假漆的味道提高，並多添了劃火柴的氣味(選酒團隊認為這是雪莉桶通常會產生的氣味)，和些許乾百里香的味道。易於入喉的陳年酒；充滿著果香、雪利桶，和劃火柴時的味道。

A ‘Top Class’ malt from an 1890’s distillery standing between Rothes and Elgin, on the site of an ancient chapel and close to its sister distillery, Benriach. The make is a key filling for the Chivas blends, so it is surprising that this cask escaped. An ex-Oloroso butt has coloured this a glorious deep amber, with magenta lights. The first nose is dense, dark and fruity – over-ripe fruit, becoming rum-soaked dried fruits and Christmas cake and resolving as angelica and glace peel; Muscat grapes; a nuttiness and an oiliness, with boat varnish. It drinks well straight; sweet and mouth-drying; rich, but not overpowering, with some sherry in the aftertaste. Adding only a little water tends to flatten its complexity; raising varnish notes, introducing struck matches (what the Panel would we expect from sherry wood) and a trace of dried thyme. The flavour is pleasant and mild, fruity, with sherry and struck matches; rounded and aged.