It’s almost Christmas and there’s no better way to it enjoy than with a Christmas dram. There are quite a few distilleries that specifically create a dram just for this time of the year. However, this particular Single Malt has been carefully selected for The Whisky Exchange. The Whisky Exchange has selected a special Christmas single malt for 2018 that you won’t find anywhere else. It’s the perfect winter dram, full of festive sherry-cask flavour – just the thing for enjoying with family and friends this Christmas.
On the nose: you’ll get enticing notes of figs, toffee, raisins and marzipan. These initial notes are closely followed by cinnamon, spices, nutmeg and a suggestion of a meaty note. Notes of cranberries, clementines zest and vanilla start to emerge, as well as candy canes. Completing the nose are notes of grappa, ginger and fresh herbs. On the palate: those raisins and clementine notes are ever-present, followed by toffee, all-spice and aniseed. Notes of mint start to emerge, alongside notes of marzipan, butterscotch, dark chocolate and that meaty note. Rounding-off the palate are notes of green herbs, bayleaf, oak, a nutty note and tobacco. The finish: is long and spicy, with lingering notes of chestnuts and a disguised musky note.
The verdict: I do like a Christmas dram and this specially bottled Speyside 17-year-old single malt has perfectly captured all the notes you’d associate with Christmas. It has a lot of depth in flavour but personally for me that meaty note unbalances the dram just a tad too much. Bottled at an ABV of 58.7%, in my opinion, it does require water in my opinion, just to soften it up a bit.
A Fine Christmas Malt 2018 Speyside 17yo Single Malt Scotch is limited to 1800 worldwide and can be found exclusively at The Whisky Exchange for approximately £75.
For more information on this Christmas dram, check out the official Whisky Exchange website.