46,2°
Distillery Officially Unknown - Islay
American White Oak Casks and Cognac Finish
Independent Bottling
By Elixir Distillers
Limited Edition
Single Malt
Bottled in 2020
Unchillfiltered
Peated around 22 ppm
This bottling made noise in 2020, and divided the crowds. Distilled
in 1986 or the following year, it dates from the cursed period of
Bowmore, when people complained about this "French Whore Perfume", as the English critics said, which permeated almost all the
bottlings. Floral fragrances, especially
violet and lavender, spoiled the distillate a bit. This concern
was later resolved, after the takeover by Beam Suntory, the Japanese
experts realized that the site's heating system, which also supplied a
local swimming pool, was causing these off-flavours. Of course,
expressions from this era are now iconic, as frenzied collectors are
hungry for curiosities and oddities. As a result, good business operation from Elixir Distillers as they bottled these few barrels which nobody dared to
touch. It's not cask strength, it's coloured, and we don't know the
number of bottles produced, but the price is related to the age, that means very high.
Let's Taste It :
Indeed, it smells like violets, but not really the flower, rather one of
those cheap candies that you want to let melt under your tongue,
but you end up chewing it. Slightly granitic, calcareous peat. After a
while, it's mellow, nuanced, but it's still unbalanced. Chemical
mint, lavender, sweet smoke. Toilet deodorant. A drizzle of vanilla.
Detergent. The smoke makes it vaguely pleasant. Iodine at the end. On
the palate it is very smooth, spicy, clove and nutmeg. Always this taste
of detergent, of artificial flavour. A certain sweetness. The finish is beautiful. Not so long, nor explosive, but well done at least.
Syrupy, on rose water, sunflower oil, coconut. But the violet comes back
in retro-olfaction, it's a shame.
In Short,
Personally, I found it really disgusting. But
there is body, a slight complexity, which attenuate the enormous flaws. And then the finish is good. At 33 years of age, there are
necessarily qualities. The floral fragrances seemed
to me chemical, too strong, in a word unpleasant. This may appeal to
fans of Mentos and Mr. Freeze, or other children's sweets, or even inexpensive perfumes. But honestly, it's unbalanced, you
barely feel the distillery markers, it lacks nuance. Frankly, in my
humble opinion, it is better to break a leg than to buy such a thing. My
rating is lenient because I take into account the finish.
Score : 83
To Be Listened While Sipping :
Rihanna Diamonds
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