10.173 - Selkie caviar

8 years old, distilled 27th September 2010, 60.4% abv, Refill Heavy Toast Medium Char Hogshead, 239 bottles, dram price C

SMWS 10.173 - Selkie caviarThe nose has honey, straw, lemon and baked apples. The mouthfeel is thin with no cling. The body has waxed lemons, honey, chilli powder and cinnamon. The finish has lemon, chilli powder and cinnamon. The chilli is quite dominant.

Water brings out thin, rapidly expanding whorling that dissipates without mottling. The nose gains butterscotch and caramel but loses the straw and baked apples. The body gains caramel and loses the lemon. Unfortunately, it doesn’t lose the chilli. The finish is unchanged.

The heavy toasted medium charred cask has added plenty of flavours, but that dominant chilli note is just out of place. Spice fiends will love it, but it’s fundamentally unbalanced.

One for winter mornings.

Technical score: 2.5/5

Personal preference: Just the one dram, thanks.