Bunnahabhain Amontillado Finish 2003 (Distlery only bottle)

Nose: typical unpeated cask strength notes of dark malt, orange oil, toasted wood, and dried spices. In the background, a smooth, syrupy custard cream, dark roasted chocolate, vanilla, strawberries, and sweet, juicy dried fruits emerge. It's intense and strong, but also quite intrusive and aggressive. Palate: very sweet initially, then spices rise to meet oak and chocolate flavors, with the sweetness gradually diminishing. Finish: spices with equally balanced sweetness and dry sourness. Wood and aromatic spices linger in the background for a long time, remaining as the final flavors. A really nice and interesting whisky. Curious to see what those single casks from Bunnahabhain are like. Truly not comparable to the standard bottlings but interesting nonetheless. Super flavorful, rich, and intense. A bit too much so to be a relaxing dram. I wouldn’t label it enjoyable but exciting.

Received a sample from a shared bottle. Excellent spirit with a pleasing balance of sweet, dry, and savory tastes. Smell: Raisins, Walnuts, Hazelnuts, Caramel, Dark Chocolate, Citrus, Apricot, Banana, Buttery Cookies, Mango, Sultanas, Pepper Taste: Orange, Raisin, Sherry, Citrus, Pepper, Oak, Salt, Dark Chocolate, Pineapple Finish: Citrus, Passion Fruit, Flowers, Pepper, Almonds, Walnuts, Coconut

Incredibly complex; this introduced me to whiskies that aren't peated.

Gentle smoke Sugary Caramel candy