Drumguish Single Highland Malt, 40%

driftwood kettle4 Oct

Toasted oak and vanilla spice make an intriguing contrast with the smoky, herbal nose.

The finish’s cereals, toasted oak, vanilla spice and caramel sound appealing, especially alongside the palate’s rich, soft fudge. A quietly rounded combination.

bluehour_socks8 Sept

The smoke is there, but the lightly peated character keeps it from taking over the picture. I like that it sits beside walnuts, honey and barley rather than defining everything. The palate sounds soft and rich, with fudge and a little rum, then the cereal and toasted oak notes carry into vanilla spice and caramel. A solid fit for someone who wants some smoke without making it the whole point.

The nose brings together walnuts, barley and honey with pepper, smoke and leather, so it has more than one direction to follow. On the palate, the described richness and softness give way to fudge and a touch of rum; the finish shifts toward cereals, toasted oak and vanilla spice. That change from the smoky, herbal nose to a softer palate is the part that gives this whisky its character. It sounds measured rather than showy, with enough contrast to hold my interest.