Whisky: Glentauchers 11 Year (2003), Gordon & MacPhail

Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside

ABV: 46%

Cask: Refill Sherry Hogshead

Age: 11 Years (Distilled 2003, Bottled 2015)

Nose: Lemon peel gummies and ginger candies, whipped salted butter, cream of wheat cereal, subtle orange and grapefruit, butterscotch.

Palate: Medium to light body, salted caramel candies, candied lemon peel, weathered oak, bitter orange, hints of floral bergamot, lemongrass, green apple candies, mild spirited heat

Finish: Medium-length and slightly drying, old wood, citrus rind, subtle caramel.

Score: 5-6

Mental Image: Remembering a Gummy Bear

Narrative & Notes: The aroma was inviting, with a refreshing citrus and only a touch of spirited prickle. Lemon peel gummies and spicy ginger candies wafted out of the glass with a creamy background of whipped salted butter or cream of wheat cereal. More subtle notions of butterscotch lingered with occasional hints of orange rind and grapefruit sorbet. Medium to light-bodied, the profile popped me into an old-fashioned candy store with candied lemon peel gummy bears, salted caramel-filled chocolates, weathered oak countertops, bitter orange licorice, and green apple hard candies. A slightly floral bergamot played with lemon grass and a mild, spirited pepper in the background. The finish was medium-length and slightly drying with old wood, citrus rind, and subtle salted caramel.

I will refrain from droning on too much about a fairly simple whisky. Fruit and caramel were the dominant flavors, with the fruit typically leaning more toward candied citrus than anything else, though green apples and orchard fruits occasionally emerged toward the end. The caramel came off as a buttery-creamy butterscotch on the nose, but a kiss of salt on the palate gave it a lovely salted caramel, almost sesame at times, vibe. The finish had good legs considering the lower abv and maturation period on this malt.

This was the kind of dram you sit back with and try not to think too hard about much of anything; the mild flavors were ideal for a whisky that fades in the background of the evening— something to relax with rather than practice being present and aware of each individual taste. Nothing wrong with that at all.

Image Credit: Whiskybase