Whisky : Auchroisk 8 Year SMWS 95.46 “Earthy and Mysterious”

Country/Region : Scotland/Speyside

ABV : 61.3%

Cask : Ex-Bourbon (5Y), Charred Red Wine Barrique (3Y)

Age : 8 Year (Distilled Oct. 2012)

Nose : Caramel, cream, and spice.  Wedding cake tasting, replete with toffee and caramel cake frosting, buttercream layers on a carrot cake, and sweet sugary wedding cake fondant.  Sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting spiced with subtle layers of cinnamon, vanilla, and licorice.

Palate : Medium-bodied and syrupy with fruits, cream, and toffee.  Sugary notes of caramel and toffee parted to reveal orange and licorice syrups over shave-ice.  With a bit of youthful heat on the palate, the dram developed a creaminess with notes of fruity yogurt, cream cheese frosting, and jam.  A bit of astringent spice on the finish with cinnamon and brown sugar.

Finish : Lingering sugars, cinnamon, and cake frosting

Score : 6

Mental Image : Carrot Cake belongs in the Garbage

Notes :  Hot take— I do not like carrot cake and this dram reminded me of carrot cake.  I do not like the textures or the flavors involved in carrot cake, though aesthetically, I find it pleasing.  This dram fit a similar mold, the label was beautiful (the color was a rich copper if that is your thing— but since it was in a rechar barrique, that should not be surprising), but the flavors were too sweet and syrupy.  

My aversion to really saccharine drams, and my aversion to carrot cake, hardly make me an ideal judge for this dram.  I really wanted to score it lower, but I thought the mouthfeel was nice and the fruity notes did cut through some of the sugary-cream.  I have never been wowed by Auchroisk, but this was certainly one of the better ones I have tried.  I see why the distillery’s malt is usually used to balance blends, it has a good mouthfeel with a simple flavor range.

Overall, this was not something I was ever going to like, but if the flavor notes sound good, or you happen to be one of the Auchroisk-Stans out there, then you might find a bit more to love.