Another fairly dark whisky was up for guessing yesterday. Based on the whisky from the day before, it could only improve, right?

Sniff:

Image from Whiskybase

It starts with a bit of a rough sherry, and some sharpness. It’s quite fruity, but there are some sharp edges to it. Creamy with golden syrup, some pencil shavings. Also flavors of cashew nuts, mocha and a hint of menthol.

Sip:
The palate is sharp with chili pepper. Quite spicy, chaff and oak. Lots of oak. Dried fruits with a rough edge again. After a while it mellows a bit, which isn’t a bad thing.

Swallow:
The finish stays fruity and isn’t very long.

So, a rather short finish, a very oak driven whisky and not overly complex on the palate. It makes me say that this one is a young one again. Somehow, mostly because it’s slightly rough on the nose, and with some sharp edges to the sherry, it made me think of young Bruichladdich.

Obviously I was incredibly wrong on everything, except an inkling of an idea to the age. That netted me 20 points. My only excuse is that, generally, I find the character of most Islay whiskies very similar to Lowlands whiskies, except for the salt and smoke.

It’s pretty hard to guess a whisky’s character if the oak is so overpowering. Or at least to me, because there was obviously someone who guessed it right.

86/100

Auchetoshan 2008, 9yo, Oloroso Sherry Cask 34, Handfilled, 59.9%