Whisky : Glen Ord 10 Year SMWS 77.62 “Thumbs-up by Caesar”

Country/Region : Scotland/Highland

ABV : 59.8%

Cask : Refill Hogshead

Age : 10 Year (Distilled 7 April 2009)

Nose : Pastry, vanilla, and fruit.  Bouquet of vanilla cake frosting, custard tarts, Chantilly cream cake, and powdered donuts.  Fruity notes of apple slices and overripe cherries with a slight chalkiness in the background.

Palate : Medium-bodied with a mild viscosity, a bit of youthful spirit, and notes of fruit, pastries, and spice.  Tart crab apples and semi-sweet crispy green apples popped first before cinnamon, nutmeg, and black pepper directed affairs toward spiced apple cider.  Malty pastry notes brought to mind apple cider donuts.  Sugary sweetness built with time as caramel apples, vanilla cake batter, and subtle notes of cherry and lime on the finish.

Finish :  Lingering sliced fruits and black pepper.

Score : 4

Mental Image : Bargain Bin Donuts

Notes :  This was fine, just fine.  Pleasant, but not terribly distinct in any manner.  Apple notes are just not something I really enjoy in whisky— it has been part of the reason why I usually steer clear of Balvenie.  Those sort of notes always seem to pop, and while I know some people love that— more power to them—, I do not care for apple at all.  There was nothing really off on this whisky besides maybe a bit of youthful heat which was easily adjusted with a few drops of water.

There was really something missing on this and for me it was the citrus and waxiness that I love about the distillery.  This felt more like an Aberlour or Glengoyne than it did a Glen Ord.  It was overall pleasant to sip on, but it was not very memorable or interesting.