The Toshan Man
Mark Dermul
Sample trading?
If you can help me expand my whisky palate, especially Auchentoshan, get in touch with me. Much obliged!
Auchentoshan 16 Year Old 1998 Pearls of Scotland
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Auchentoshan
16 Year Old 1998, Cask 2197 Pears of Scotland Number of bottles: 590 ABV : 55,3% Color : Full Gold Tasted on 29/10/2016 |
Big
I have already tried two great Auchentoshan from Pearls of Scotland. At the Antwerp Whisky Festival this one was presented to me. Would I like to try it? Does a cow give milk? It was distilled in September 1998 and bottled – at cask strength – in May 2015. Sturdy ABV. This was a sherry butt. The colour could have fooled me.
Scary at first whiff as I got some sulphur, but luckily it is gone very quickly to make room for heather, apples and some lemon. Quite some barley sugar. Even some demerara sugar in the background. The apples evolve toward the baked variety with some orange juice sprinkled over it. A mild floral touch and even a whiff of diesel complete the picture.
It is oily, mouthcoating and quite powerful. Next to the fruit from the nose, I now also get some nettles. Citrus is slowly but surely taking over the palate, seasoned with some white pepper and candied ginger. Quite some oak towards the end.
In the long finish, the tannins start to dominate, but luckily it remains sweet enough to counter that.
Nice and big Toshan, but it was not a very active sherry cask in my opinion. Well, it is not a must, obviously. Thanks, Peter of Anverness, for the sample.