sample from a friend
Nose: Soft and sweetly spiced wood, and sweet sherry. On terra firma for notes, though I wonder whether the low strength is going to hurt this. Orange-cinnamon, and black salty licorice. Unsweetened marzipan with some dates smashed into it. Subtle coffee, nutmeg, cardamom, and fine Spanish brandy (also at 38-40%) Standard stuff. I'm not adding water because it's plain that it will do no good here.
Palate: Damn. You can tell that this would be delightful at greater strength, but it's absolutely watery. Cinnamon, some orange, dates, and sherry immediately come to the fore, and then oak and coffee. Rich dark chocolate and candied ginger. It's a standard profile for a heavily sherried aged malt, just very weak.
Finish: Drying oak, coffee, dates, ginger, and lots more Spanish brandy (or the essence of it). Almonds and sweet, raw walnuts. Dry orange zest. This would be great, I'm sure, at cask strength or something higher than 40%, but it feels like they just dumped water into it moments before they bottled it. I'm sure that I'm being harsh with this, considering it just after having a younger and cask strength dram, but I've got to consider it for its limpid profile. If only it weren't 40%!
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