Whisky: Dailuaine 14 Year (2009), Cadenhead's

Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside

ABV: 51.7%

Cask: Fino Hogshead Finish

Age: 14 Years (Distilled 2009, Bottled 2023)

Nose: Citrusy syrups and fruit salad, Haribo gummy bears with ruby chocolate; chalky candies and sticky fig cakes; birthday cake frosting and Froot Loops with a mild prickly spirit.

Palate: Medium-bodied and syrupy, fruity and a touch astringent with big wood notes that a beaver with a sweet tooth would surely appreciate; Fruit Loops and Haribo gummies with mellow fruit punch and citrus; maltier toward the end with proper pastries, figs, and hints of musty tobacco with ample wood.

Finish: Medium to long, drying with wood, fruit, and chalky candies.

Score: 6 (76)

Mental Image: Late Night Cereal Bar

Narrative & Notes: Loaded with brand names and vaguely fruity candy flavors, there was something a bit nostalgic about the profile of this teenage Dailauine. The fino sherry finish drove a lot of the fruitier flavors and the amount of wood influence on the palate. It was never uncomfortable, but it was a bit overdone for my taste. I consider Dailuaine’s spirit robust enough to handle some aggressive casking, but it felt a bit lost here.

A few drops of water toned down the oak and the bit of spirit on the nose so that more deliciously fruity breakfast cereals and pastries could come through. I found that the malt really shined in a cocktail, especially a simple highball with a touch of ginger or lemon.