Balblair 12 Year Old 2008 Connoisseurs Choice

Whisky Warehouse is the Belgian importer and representative of Gordon & Macphail and regularly a bottling is launched especially for them. This is one of those: a Blair Athol in the Connoisseurs Choice Cask Strength series. The color alone makes my mouth water. It’s leaves nice legs onto the glass. Sticky.

Very sweet on the nose with those typical sherry notes of cinnamon, raisins, vanilla, a handful of nuts, cloves and brioche. But... I’m having a hard time finding Blair Athol's DNA in this. Oh, well... it certainly smells fine!

Nice and oily, almost greasy. That's typical Blair Athol of course. And now you can definitely taste the house style. Very fruity, almost candy-like with a beautiful layer of the first fill sherry hogshead on top. Although it is not mentioned anywhere, I suspect a very active oloroso cask. Orange jam, rum raisins, walnuts, milk chocolate and all on steroids. Powerhouse, but perfectly balanced.

The finish starts sweet, then becomes spicy and bit dry, but on the deathbed again it delivers an uppercut of the sherry. Delicious.

Mighty Blair Athol that – with the exception of the nose – keeps the sherry nicely in check, making it a perfect marriage. Thanks, Benny.

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