Glentauchers 10 Year Old (SMWS Cask No. 63.82)
Cask Info: Matured in American Oloroso butt and first-fill Spanish Oloroso butt
ABV | Chill Filtration | Natural Color | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
66.3% | No | Yes | $130 |
Nose: The first sniff offers lots of dried fruit. Prunes, dried figs, and dried enoki mushroom, layered with hints of leather. Drops of water reveal nutty aromas, like roasted hazelnuts and moist banana walnut bread. I also get faint notes of green bell pepper.
Palate: It’s full-bodied, and it has a silky mouthfeel. Baking spices are definitely in the foreground. Water brings out milk chocolate, ginger, and tangy pineapple. I don’t get much of those dried fruit notes though.
Finish: The finish is unexpectedly dry, with lots of warming spices. Nutmeg, black pepper, and oaky woodiness.
Final Thought: Without water, this whisky is like a mountain in a fog. You know there’s a splendid view, but you just can’t see it clearly yet. While it smells and tastes kinda complex, without water, I have a hard time pinpointing the delicious notes. It needs water. In fact, it needs quite a bit of water to open up the taste. And then the dram becomes very satisfying. I have a backup bottle. That says it all :)
P.S. Some friends and I are joking about the long names that SMWS gives to its whiskies. So if I were to name this whisky in a typical SMWS fashion, it would be “Hiking in Fog with a Christmas Cake in the Backpack” 😉
Girl with Cask Strength Score: 89/100.
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