Colour: Light gold.
Nose: For less than 50 ABV the nose is quite powerful and aromatic. Ripe bananas, overripe papayas, vanilla sugar, butter, mangoes, grapefruits, lemons, candied pineapples, nutmeg and wet wood. That’s a very pleasant nose with a candied fruits dominance.
Mouth: Nice oily texture. That’s slightly bitterish but not excessive at all. Candied pineapples, mangoes, coconuts, vanilla sugar, icing sugar, smoke, banana pie, overripe papayas, glue, polished wood, grapefruits, lemons, bitter oranges and mint. I’m a bit disappointed, let us be clear, that’s not bad at all, but a bit less expressive than this very nice nose.
Finish: Long enough and drying. Marzipan, burnt wood, thick smoke, roasted coconuts, almonds, bitter cocoa and roasted notes.

To be honest I already tasted it few months ago and I really enjoyed it, this is still the case! What a nice start for today.

Score: 89

Colour: Light gold.
Nose: More focused on the solvents and more acidulous but we also have that fruity side. Glue, nail polish, fresh pineapple juice, wood, citruses such as lemons, oranges and grapefruits, vinegar and cinnamon. The nose is less attractive than the first one.
Mouth: That’s more watery and less aromatic than the first one. The fruity notes turns now to candied fruits with candied pineapples and lemons. Then we have wood, tannins, overripe bananas, glue, polish, vanilla and marzipan.
Finish: Long and warm. Burnt wood, dark smoke, peppermint, almonds, nuts, fruit paste and roasted notes.

We’re one step under the Whisky Agency bottling. The watery mouth is the main reason.

Score: 83

Colour: Light gold.
Nose: The nose is less punchy than the two first, it’s more refined, maybe even shy. We have a common pattern between them all with overripe bananas and papayas, polish, glue and candied lemons. There are also some extras such as apple cider, sugary peaches, vinegar and some bubblegum notes. Nice try but it doesn’t surpass the Whisky Agency one.
Mouth: Same statement as the Duncan Taylor mouth, the mouth is too watery. Overripe bananas, papayas, mangoes, apricots, vanilla sugar, glue, polished wood, white pepper, smoke and fresh soil. It lacks a bit of complexity.
Finish: Mid-long with a thick smoke that fill the whole mouth. Vanilla cream, eucalyptus, blackcurrant, bitter cocoa and roasted notes.

Those birds won’t win today. Close to the Duncan Taylor but still far from the first one.

Score: 83