Blair Athol 12 Year Old

This is the Flora and Fauna bottling from Diageo that I believe will be ceased, if it isn't already, in the not too distant future. Thankfully there are some bottles out there. It retails at c£50.

This bottle has been open a month or so with just over two thirds left. Review is with no water added to a 30ml pour left 15 mins or so.

Nose - Sweet and dry sherry but leaning to the latter. Fresh raisins and soft dried figs with a little vanilla if you persist. There's some leather and pale blonde tobacco notes. Slight minerality or chalky note too with a hint of match box that's well integrated. Nutty and a waft of peat smoke - again persistence pays off with this nose.

Taste - Good mouthfeel, full and rich (jammy?). Similar to the nose really with a fruity arrival that's sweeter than expected, some of that leather note comes as it develops and then a tang of peat at the end. Robust.

Finish - Medium. Leaves a nice rich, fruity coating with a touch of peat tingling the tongue. Quite dry at the end.

Water simply reduces all that's there without really adding anything new - much better neat.

This is a very enjoyable and moreish whisky that caps off a meal really nicely. A rich fireside dram if ever there was one. If nit picking, it possibly veers too close to the overt sweet sherry side but just about maintains a nice balance of flavours. I'd have this again but for the same money, give or take a few pounds, I'd probably get a 'farclas 15 instead. The waft of peat smoke does sit well with this style though and dare I say it seems like an old fashioned kind of malt. A shame there's not more OBs out there really.

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