I'm always looking to try new whiskies, whiskies that I haven't encountered before. This pursuit leads me to going to whisky tastings, oftentimes a couple times a month. It's led me to starting a whisky club here in Perth and it's led me to doing sample swaps as often as I can.
Several months ago I'd posted in a discussion on Connosr that I would love to do sample swaps with anyone in Australia (or anywhere in the world for that matter).
I didn't and don't care about WHAT I'm trading for, as long as I've never tasted it. Want to do a blend for a cask strength Buffalo Trace? Done! Entry level bourbon for a 40 year old single malt? Done!
As long as the whiskies were in good condition (not overly oxidized, light shock, etc etc etc) and were not any whiskies that I'd already tried I was more then happy to make a trade.
Several members took me up on the offer and samples were sent out and samples were received.
This sample was from Donski in Victoria. Thanks Buddy!!!!
This whisky was Dimple 15 year old, a blended Scotch whisky, which I'd never tried before and made me grin in the fact that I was getting ready to expand my whisky horizons!
So I got home from work, ordered some yummy Indian food and sat down with my wife to watch Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and enjoy a new whisky.
Nice aroma, very similar to many bourbons, so there's got to be some ex bourbon casks somewhere in there right?
Vanilla, apples, pears, fudge, toasted oak, citrus and orange rinds and a hint of smoke. As the whisky opens up more and more vanilla appears as the smoke retreats, orange rinds and citrus move back and forth through the vanilla.
Not bad!
Time for a taste!
A bit oaky, citrus, honey, vanilla, oak spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg, vanilla, it's not bad, however there is an interesting and slightly unpleasant interplay with the overwhelming sweetness of honey and vanilla and oaky bitterness. It's not really unpleasant, but at this moment it doesn't encourage me to run out and buy a bottle.
Am extremely short finish, almost nonexistent, with just some lingering hints of vanilla end this whisky.
Definitely not the worst whisky I've ever tried, but very entry level, it's something I might give to people who are afraid whiskies are all smoke and peat, something soft and sweet and just a wee bit boring as the whisky opens up.
Nice thing is price point you pretty much get what you pay for, roughly around $55 to $60 a bottle and fairly easy to find. I'd probably pick up a bottle of Aberlour 10 year old myself, being at a similar price point, but for myself it honestly has roughly the same complexity on the palate as say Glenlivet 12 year old or Glenfiddich 12 year old and they're in that same price point so it is a fair price in my opinion.
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