MrWizard's Ramblings

Balcones Cataleja Single Malt, 59%
A Texas single malt from Balcones, again. This is their 15th anniversary release of a malt that’s been aged in ex-bourbon casks and then finished in just about every sherry cask under the sun, or specifically “Moscatel Dorado, Amontillado Dulce, Ororoso & Palo Cortado”. The nose is very sweet sherry-forward and surprisingly malt-restrained considering the proof. The palate is full of sweet sherry, figs, cream, dark chocolate and some ginger spice. It’s very flavorful, yet drinks below the proof. The aftertaste is more figs, dark raisins and dates, raisins and dark chili chocolate. Overall: Surprisingly excellent drinker this is sweet and hot and chocolatey all around that drinks deceptively under proofed. Yet, it is full of strong and well-rounded flavors. Value: N/A, it was a present from friend Mark… Supposedly, MSRP was 120… that’s 20 over what I’d consider a good value here. Don’t let me stop you though… It’s tasty!
Score: B+

Balblair 10, 2005, 46%
A bottle of Highland single malt, this is a Balblair core release. This batch was distilled in 2005, bottled in 2015 and is labeled 1st release. Visually, it is clean ex-bourbon faire. Nose’s got tons of malt and heavy influence from white orchard fruits, apples and pears with some light notes of honeydew and melons. The palate is appropriately punchy, vanilla-creamy and malty as well as sweet-savory in its character. The aftertaste is somewhat more of the same from the palate, with addition of prominent, yet well-balanced, pepperiness as is common with good ex-bourbon casks. Overall: Super enjoyable, easy-drinking malt that’s not light on flavor. It’s excellent, flavorful and straightforward. The main downside here is lack of substantial secondary flavors. The primaries work well together but there’s nothing subtle or layered here; what is there in the primaries is pure in its clarity. Value: I picked up this on clearance for $30 which is a huge value, original price is $80 being an alright for value overall.
Score: B+

Amrut 9, Ex-port Pipe, Prestige-Ledroit SP, 60%
Amrut exclusively bottled for Prestige-Ledroit distributors after 9 years in ex-port cask, this is cask number 3882. Very purple bottle theme and a hot pink tube. More importantly this is quarter peated scottish barley, something like 80% unpeated and 20% peated and bottled in 2023. The nose is intense, very sherry-like, slightly smoky and spicy with juicy dollop of toasted wood. Amrut apparently has access to some spectacular port casks as this smells amazing. This tastes amazing too. Best sort of light cigar smoke, sundried dark fruits, rich baking spices in perfect harmony. Aftertaste stick around for a while with light campfire smoke aftertaste and just all the best notes from the palate. Overall: Essentially, a flawless bottle in its execution. One of the easiest ones to score in a while. Value: I got it for under 100 from friend David on clearance. A steal!
Score: A

Secret Orkney (Highland Park) 19, “Signatory”, K&L SP, 55.2%
Wrapping this set with a good one. A sample from friend Mark of a 2005 Highland Park #DRU 17/A63 #28 aged for 19 years in first fill oloroso sherry by Signatory Vintage. The nose is funky-sweet oloroso leather, wood and wet tobacco mix. It also feels hotter than it really should be for the proof. The plate is hot with sherry surprisingly restrained, we’ve got sweet dark fruits backed by oloroso leather notes and rounded off by just a touch of smoke, which is at best an accent here rather than a centerpiece. Hot chili aftertaste aftertaste with some bitter dark chocolate. With water: the chili note is now now in the background and the whole experience is notably sweeter tasting and much better balanced with sugar and some wood smoke notes taking the front. Overall: At original proof it is too hot and chili-forward. Much more enjoyable with water, but at a loss of some potency. Possibly higher with-water grade if the amount of water is perfectly measured. Value: Priced at $179 and 20 over the preorder price, it’s definitely out of my comfort zone, thought the $159 pre-order tag may have been tolerable?
This: https://shop.klwines.com/products/details/1789500
Score: B- (B+ with water)

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Scoring Breakdown: https://www.aerin.or … age=scores_breakdown

Invergordon 35 Year Old “Dramfool - Middle Cut” Single Grain, 55.4%
From the website: “The oldest release in the inaugural Dramfool’s Middle Cut Series, this single grain Northern Highland whisky from Invergordon was filled into a bourbon barrel [#1481] on 01/18/1988 where it aged 35 years and was bottled on 07/06/2023 at a cask strength of 55.4%. Only 154 bottles were produced.” A sample generously provided by friend Vadim. The nose is full of citrus oil, a bit of a mix between lemon and orange oils is on display there. It’s surprisingly lively on the alcohol front, and not unexpectedly there’s additionally a strong vanilla undertone after that many years in oak, very perfume-like. The palate is extremely clean, sweet orange marmalade over buttery toast. Chili notes and a touch of spice come out in secondaries and last well into the medium-long aftertaste. With water it becomes more chili chocolate-forward with vanilla and sweet citrus undertones. Overall: This bottle benefits well from taking time to contemplate it. Many layers of subtle flavors none of which are contrasting or off-putting work well together. The age gave it a malt-like complexity which is certainly a positive. It’s very good, but I’m having a hard time finding it memorable vs many other well-aged ex-bourbon malts because that’s the space it competes at inside my head. Value: This was $150… While I feel that’s a high-ish price for a single grain, my values are rooted in prices from at least 5 years ago but this is the world we live in. Well-aged single grains are no longer dirt-cheap and plentiful.
This: https://shop.klwines … ucts/details/1739040
Score: B+

Linkwood 13, Old Malt Cask 25th Anniversary, 50%
Another Linkwood 13? Didn’t I just review a bunch last time? This one comes from 2010 and bottled for Old Malt Cask’s 25th anniversary. Interestingly, it uses old style OMC’s label. This was aged in a canasta cask which is a new one for me, being a blend of PX and Oloroso sherries. It’s often times called a ‘canasta cream’… but that just means ‘a blend’. The nose is full of flavor of funky sherry, wood spices, dried oranges and figs. Creamy consistency on the palate, dark chocolate, more figs and oranges, ginger notes. Aftertaste lingers around bitter-sweetly for a long time with few coffee notes wrapping up the experience with some nutmeg vanilla. Overall: This is fantastic! Relatively easy drinker that doesn’t quite impress with layered complexity yet conques with big bold sweet flavors that work together beautifully. Like a liquid dark chocolate-orange-fig-ginger tart, if that’s a thing you like. Value: Priced at $79, it seems like a steal. I’ve got a backup!
This: https://www.whiskyba … 106/linkwood-2010-hl
Score: A

Secret Speyside (Macallan) 15, Signatory, K&L SP, 65.2%
Lighter color than I expected for age and cask but not small on flavor. If anything, refill helps here as it doesn’t drown the malt as it often can in a single cask. The liquid is medium oak colored or so. The nose is somewhat sweet and funky, lightly sulfuric in a good way, think very ripe, almost falling apart figs. The palate is unapologetically hot with the alcohol, sweet and malty, counter-balanced by light sherry notes that are very present, though yet again not at the forefront. Aftertaste lingers for a while and is very spicy, hot sweet peppers, chili dark chocolate, some tobacco (hi there, oloroso flavor profile). Overall, well balanced, spicy-hot malt from a quality refill cask. Water is recommended to dull the edge here, it cuts through the alcohol, though brings more of the sulfuric note to the front, a restraint is needed. This straddles that odd line between sublime CS sherry bomb releases of old and mediocre modern oak cask releases, while still at a very fiery proof. Can I tell it’s a Mac? Not really. Do I need to know that in order to enjoy? Also no. Value: Fantastic at $79, as a preorder. Even with a bump to $99, still reasonable-ish.
Score: B+ (w/ water)

Balvenie 21 Portwood, 43%
An original bottling? In my hands? Unpossible! Thanks friend Mark for a generous donation. This is actual distillery bottling and a reasonably fancy one at that. The nose is plum blossoms cologne and light wood on the forefront. The palate is excellent, it’s creamy, malty, woody, sweet, spicy, still a bit plummy in the secondaries especially. Surprisingly flavorful and malt-forward for the proof. The aftertaste has more malty creamy notes and lingers for a while with light wood spice, and plummy jam notes. Overall: Easy-drinker, excellently balanced, and nostalgically familiar, this evokes the childhood (not too sweet) jam on buttery toast memories. Slightly underproofed, this won’t quite impress enthusiasts but would be very good for a beginner. Even then, don’t hesitate to grab a glass and relax in an armchair. This is an enhancement, not an assault on the senses. Value: Eeeeeh… it’s like $250-300. I’ll pass buying one but it’s well worth trying at a bar if offered at an affordable deal.
Score: B+

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Scoring Breakdown: https://www.aerin.or … age=scores_breakdown

Dailuaine 16, Flora & Fauna, 43%
A rare original bottling from Dailuane, this is part of Diageo’s collected releases that have been ongoing since about 1991, and the name has stuck. This is a 43% ABV, sherry cask-aged single malt aged for 16 years. I’m not quite sure when it was bottled, but it’s likely around the 2018-2020 timeframe. This is a sherried Speyside whiskey, so I’m expecting sherried Speyside notes. The nose features intense dark fruit compote with nutty undertones and toasted caramels. The palate brings more caramel, some surprising hot peppers, dried orange peels, and a touch of tobacco. The finish mostly continues from the palate and pleasantly lingers for a long time. Overall, this is quite delightfully easy to consume. While it lacks a lot of complexity, it more than makes up for it in approachability. It’s an incredibly easy drinker with no particular negatives, other than the fact it disappears too fast. The lower proof isn’t going to win any awards with enthusiasts, but it would delight beginners. Value: Priced around $80 if you can find it, it’s a very solid deal for an uncommon bottling.
Score: B+

Linkwood 13, Single Malts of Scotland, US Release, 48%
A blend of 3 casks by Single Malts of Scotland. This is a US Exclusive release. I generally love Linkwood and I’m looking forward to this. The color is very pale straw, reminds me strongly of the Old Malt Cask line. The nose is wax, spicy, vanilla, apples, classic ex-bourbon fare, yet leans towards the lighter side in its alignment. The palate’s rather punchy with peaches, refined sugar, a touch of lemon, and light yet peppery vanilla again. The aftertaste lingers for a bit and alternates between sugar and hot spices as it slowly fades for a long finish. Overall: Enjoyable, but I was hoping for more. This is very much a 2nd or 3rd refill ex-bourbon casks where the casks are nearly spent. Enjoyable for malt purists but not as good as a good Linkwood could be. It’s basically a high-quality canvas with respectful yet minimal treatment. Value: I paid $80, which was a decent value, though I’ve seen it on store shelves for a more typical $99, which would be arguably too much for this.
Score: B

Linkwood 13, Mahler-Besse, Ruby Port Cask, 58.2%
Another Linkwood 13, this time by Mahler-Besse IB, Cask #3127, ruby port. The nose is rather aged port character-forward and sweetly sulfuric. The palate is sweet, nutty, spicy and mouth-coating, yet still very much overpowered by the ruby port notes. Aftertaste lingers for a long while with hot spices, sweetness, and a touch of cinnamon very slowly fading. This does take water like a champ becoming much more pleasant. Overall: As expected wonderful malt, close to be overwhelmed by ruby port character, as is often times the case. Value: Paid $80 for it… Decent deal for this particular cask finish. Otherwise I’d advice to skip
Score: B- (B w/water)

Linkwood 13, A Blend, ~53%
Bonus! Let’s blend the two above together in about 1:1 ratio! The nose is now peppery red fruits, vanilla, sour cherry preserves. The palate is well balanced between sweetness, oak, tannins, port wine notes, and plums. Actually, cycling back, it’s rather plummy overall. The aftertaste continues what’s on the palate and goes from plum compote to a touch of heat, but oddly only lingers for medium length of time. Overall: This is where it’s at! A sum that’s better than it’s parts. Value: N/A because it’s a blend… though technically it’s $80 and a solid value considering the cost of the components.
Score: A-

Dewar’s 21, Double Double, 46%
Dewar’s 21 year old blend under double-double label, finished in Mizunara oak casks. Available in costco in 2024Q3. The double double refers to double maturation in two types of casks from two of the Dewar’s distilleries that compose the blend. Which distilleries they are are a very tightly-held secret. The nose is all about creamy vanilla and ex-bourbon fruit notes. There’s also a surprising amount of alcohol notes and a touch of wet tobacco in the nose too. The palate is a touch like a not-too-sweet and slightly bitter cream soda. We’ve got lemons, light fruits, and a touch of wood smoke that’s very subtle but present. The aftertaste is medium and not particularly noteworthy other than a note of whipped cream from can, sorta airy, creamy vanilla with very light substance. Overall: Eeeeh… I’m of two minds about this. It’s serviceable and not memorable at the same time. If anything, it strongly reminds me of Compass Box Artist Blend. Value: At $89 at Costco that’s not too bad of a deal if nothing is available, but yet again, it competes with Compass Box single casks that’s 20 bucks cheaper. I’ll mark the value at Costco’s price as passable as it is but a pass at past 100.
Score: B

Clynelish 26, Signatory Vintage, 53.4%
A 26 year old Clynelish in Oloroso from 1996, cask number 11383. A treat! A dark dark pour. The nose is musty wood and leathery, slightly sulfuric, sherry. I can sit and smell this for a while. The palate is rather gentle and soft, an interesting contrast to a branch and punchy nose. Lots of wood, burnt caramel, bitter chocolate, some sort of dried orange peel, cloves, all spice. The aftertaste lingers for a while with more bitter chocolate, espresso, a touch of tobacco, and more or less more of a what was on the palate. Water doesn’t move the scale one way or another. Overall: Old school funk and intensity. I really want to love it but I cannot bring myself to truly do. It’s almost too much intensity to feel the malt that’s drowned by the cask. Is it still very good? Yes. But not outstanding in a way that a refill cask would do at that age. Would I love drinking it… yes. Value: N/A; Too much.
This fine bottle: https://www.whiskyba … 11/clynelish-1996-sv
Score: A-

Glenrothes 28, Signatory Vintage, 51.0%
A 28 year old Glenrothes in 1st fill Oloroso, from 1995 this time, cask number 6176. Another treat! I don’t get these enough. Please send more nice things! Another example of old school funky sherry. The leans towards hot and more balanced with the malt vs being overwhelmed by wood. Nutty, spicy, slightly sweet, hot chili chocolate. This doesn’t quite read toasted nuttyness that some glenrothes do, with heat dominating the chocolate-covered nuts, but it’s all there. More heat and balance between oak, sherry and malt on the aftertaste. Did i mention it drinks chili-hot yet? Water dulls the spice slightly, letting sweet chocolate and walnuts to the fore. Overall: Highly enjoyable, even if appealing more towards those that like their food spicy. This is a good contrast to the sample above this review where cask swings the profile into entirely different direction. Value: N/A
This fine bottle: https://www.whiskyba … iskies/whisky/237379
Score: A

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Scoring Breakdown: https://www.aerin.or … age=scores_breakdown

Aultmore 11, Old Malt Cask, K&L SP, 64.7%
A 2010 Aultmore, aged 11 years in sherry butt #HL18923, K&L’s single cask store pick. A high proof offering for sure with Scotch malt casks at > 63% aren’t very common, but I digress. Nose’s got toffee nut notes together with unmistakably high proof. The runners on the glass are quite prominent and it just covers the glencairn, refusing to let go. The palate is rich and spicy with dried fruit and chocolate notes. Sherry influence integrates well and doesn’t overwhelm. Dark chocolate lingers on the aftertaste with some spices and molasses notes. Overall: An absolute chocolate flavor bomb in a good way, this is a great example of a well integrated wood influence where it’s flavor bomb without being drowned in sherry. Another great example of what can only be assumed to be a dry cask of excellent quality. Value: This was $55 originally in late 2022 and possibly early 2023. Screaming good deal, but as is with most once-and-gone single cask sales, oftentimes it is well after the fact that we discover how good or bad a particular bottle is.
This: https://shop.klwines … ucts/details/1636991
Score: A-

Ardmore 21, Old Malt Cask, K&L SP, 49.7%
An 1996 Ardmore, aged 21 years in refill hogshead #HL15360. K&L’s single cask pick. This was bottled (and acquired) in 2018, an old purchase for me for sure. A highland peated malt. Apparently I’m secretly an Ardmore fan as I’ve reviewed some past single casks positively, or it just takes to single casks well and I’ve never had interest in trying their OBs… But, yet again, I digress. Refill hogshead, so I’m not expecting much cask activity here, though with the respectable age period this may not be the case. Nose got vanilla, fresh apples and sugar powder. The palate is quite different, almost subtle, light fruity notes, balanced with a touch of highland (primarily smoky, less acrid) peat. Medium length aftertaste that’s peppery and subtly sweet, nearly no smoke. Absolutely perfectly balanced at the proof, no water needed. Overall: A spent cask somewhat redeemed by long time of maturation as is often the case with these Old Malt Cask bottlings. Can i call it amazing? Unlikely. Can I call it “subtle, enjoyable, and very drinkable”? Decidedly yes! The K&L description mentions it being reminiscent of ‘a cleaner Springbank’ and now i cannot get that image out of my head. Value: Priced at $89 back in 2018 such values don’t exist anymore.
This: https://shop.klwines … ucts/details/1380518
Score: B+

Redacted (Thomson/Dornoch) 19, Blended Malt, 44.2%
A Blended malt scotch from Thomson/Dornoch group who cannot use that name in US, thus the ‘Redacted’ label. 2001 distillation, sherry cask for 19 years and 200 bottles total. Very likely 200 were allocated to US market with the rest going to EU under original label. Let’s just assume that this is something+something from Speyside based on speculation online. Nose’s got concentrated fruit compote sherry note mixing up with the wood. The palate is gentle, evokes milk chocolate and raisins, lightly fruity, inoffensive. Lots of sherry cask influence here. The proof keeps things from being too concentrated to the point of being almost too soft in places. Medium-long aftertaste with some baking spice and light pepper. Overall: Nice heavily sherried ‘generic’ Speysider. Fruits, raisins, milk chocolate, it drinks like a slightly sweeter Glenallachie 15. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this bottle. There’s also nothing outstanding about it. The impression it evokes is an ‘average’ of all that is representative of sherried Speyside scotch. I like components of this average, thus it is enjoyable. Value: Listed at $80 in K&L about two years ago this was a solid deal for the specs.
This: https://shop.klwines … ucts/details/1531951
Score: B+

Glenlivet 14, Signatory Vintage, K&L Sp, 46%
A quick one: 2007 Glenlivet, 1st fill sherry butt, cask #900653. Bottled on 01/10/2021. Spoiled cask or bad run. Incredibly sulfuric. Entirely undrinkable by itself. I add few drops of this to boring sherried pours to give them a touch of funk. No other use of it. Deeply flawed. Avoid this cask.
Don’t believe me? https://www.whiskyba … 86/glenlivet-2007-sv
Score: D-

Auchroisk 19, Alexander Murray, Trader Joe’s SP, 58.2%
Is this the real life? Is this just Fanta sea? Trader Joe’s got a full proof single cask with clear label info? Miracles do happen. Alexander Murray bottling, this is a 1998 Auchroisk aged for 19 years in ex-bourbon cask number #11745 and one of only 222 bottles. I recall this showing up in west coast Trader Joe’s stores around early 2021 or late 2000. A bygone era. Nose is typical ex-bourbon tropical notes, vanilla, a touch of wood, and a whiff of alcohol. The palate is sweet with candied burnt oranges and light tropical notes. The aftertaste is all cloves and mouth-coating dried fruit rind note that lingers for quite a while. It also takes water like a champ though does become somewhat sweeter and more peppery, oddly enough. Overall: Extremely enjoyable, if somewhat typical, ex-bourbon cask with Speyside distillate in it. Blindly, it evokes a well-known Taiwanese distillery in a positive way if i had to compare it to something. I feel like the aftertaste peppery clove note is a touch too much thus bumping down the grade slightly. It may have benefited from a few years less time inside the cask. Value: This was dirt-cheap at Trader Joe’s. Somewhere around 70 or so. Like I said above, a bygone era of values.
Score: B+

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Scoring Breakdown: https://www.aerin.or … age=scores_breakdown

What? Has it been another break? Well I was away! So no reviews while away from home. Rejoice, there’s going to be a theme to this review set.

Here’s a sample set from a Gordon & Macphail (G&M) (for some reason I pronounce it like Mac-fail, haha I’m funny) “Connoisseur’s Choice” bottles that were picked by K&L Wines. Honestly they were too expensive for my wallet to pick up individually. Sadly I’m only willing to afford tiny 1oz samples.

Glenlivet 20, G&M, K&L SP, 55.3%
A Glenlivet distilled in 2003, cask #800366, aged in 2nd Refill Ex-Bourbon barrels. On the nose, light honeycomb, fruits, delicate flowers. The palate is medium-thin, malty, sweet, somewhat waxy and fruity. Alcohol has nowhere to hide here. The aftertaste is reasonably short and peppery with peppermint at the very end. Overall: This is reminiscent of Old Malt Cask bottlings. The skeleton is there but not much to really back it up from a 2nd fill, nearly spent wood. Unadulterated malt purist’s dream pour? Likely. Is it enjoyable? Yes. Is it amazing? No. Value: Priced at 170, I didn’t buy it. Most G&M Bottlings are unfortunately past my ‘value’ mark. This should have been an old malt cask.
This: https://www.klwines.com/p/i?i=1715667
Score: B

Clynelish 16, G&M, K&L SP, 55%
A Clynelish from 2007, cask #311259, aged in a single refill sherry hogshead. Nose: Very fruity and waxy, leaning towards appleskin cologne. Palate is surprisingly alcohol-forward for the age, not too sweet, with more apple skins, pronounced nutiness that doesn’t overwhelm. Aftertaste: Spicy, unsweetened, peppery, nearly metallic and slightly ashy towards the end. Water makes it waxy and delicious by taking off that edge. Overall: This is an interesting and agile pour. I didn’t expect such untamed ferocity of flavors from 16 years of age but here we are. Certainly should come with a flavor-bomb warning even if it’s clearly not a sherry bomb. It’s also darn good with water. Value: Eeeeh $180?… make it 150 and I’ll consider it, maybe. Make it 135 and it’d be a buy!
This: https://www.klwines.com/p/i?i=1715661
Score: A- (w/ water)

Caol Ila 20, G&M, K&L SP, 53.9%
A Caol Ila from 2002, cask #8378, aged 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel. To be honest I’m expecting good things. Nose got a whiff of sulfur together with prominent sweet and salty smoke. There’s something industrial about how it smells, kind of a pleasant version of burning plastic insulation. The palate is certainly full-flavored, lots of vanilla oak, powerful sweet spices, dask citrus oil, smoked meats. Aftertaste lasts and lasts, seemingly forever with gently sweet smoke notes. Slight ash bitterness in the very end, but I’m sure experts will say that’s expected. Overall: I’m having a hard time stopping to write this review and simply want to sit back to enjoy and savor this while my little sample lasts. This is a good one. Value: Priced at 170 in a 1st fill, is still somewhat over my budget here but starting to get mighty tempting when I rate something as high as this.
This: https://www.klwines.com/p/i?i=1715666
Score: A

Bunnahabhain 14, G&M, K&L SP, 53.9%
Bunnahabhain from 2009, cask #18600103, aged in 2nd fill sherry hogshead. This is peated Bunna which isn’t uncommon with IBs. While this starts smoky in the glass after a bit the smoke balances out with refill sherry dried fruit dusted with raw sugar. Palate brings strong peat, sweetness, citrus oils, some earthiness and lots of baking spices, some tobacco notes. The more I drink it the more I enjoying it. Longish aftertaste that’s filled with slowing fading palate notes, no surprises here. It finishes pleasantly sweet and not at all bitter. Overall: Enjoyable and very wild bottling. The nose and the palate are nearly diametric opposites here, yet somehow manage to bring a complete pour that is a journey and not a disaster. It’s almost like every note is a primary note without becoming a mess. Drinks somewhat underproof too. I dig it, though it’s peated. Value: Priced at 150, as usual, I struggle to call it a bargain.
This: https://www.klwines.com/p/i?i=1715662
Score: A-

Ledaig 17, G&L, K&L SP, 54.3%
Ledaig from 2005, cask #18600201, aged in 2nd fill sherry hogshead. Ledaig is the peated Tobermory and/or Tobermory is unpeated Ledaig. The nose got smoked active sherry, regardless of the 2nd fill or not, cured meats. The palate is peppered smoked meat in spades, burnt candied fruit, pronounced smoked almonds. Medium length aftertaste with more of the same from the palate plus slightly drying ashyness. Overall: Clean, smoky, meaty bottling that’s enjoyable but also not quite my preferred pour by leaning too much into smoke character. Value: Priced at 160. I’ll pass.
This: https://www.klwines.com/p/i?i=1715665
Score: B+
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Scoring Breakdown: https://www.aerin.or … age=scores_breakdown