Cocoa Habañero Cask 140.18 (SMWS)

Visual: Dark amber; thick, thin legs. Nosing: Reminiscent of an Italian Amaro; this dram is intensely herbal and oaky. Earthy and robust. Sugared pecans and butterscotch ice cream on the back of the nose. Tasting: Hot, dry, sweet—with some acidity; chili pepper and wild rosemary on the back palate. Light molasses sugar cookies. Significant warming alcohol on the finish. Reduced Nosing: Adding water brings out more floral notes; caramel and light toffee are also present. Reduced Tasting: Crushed wild flower petals and brown sugar. Sweet butterscotch comes through. This dram from Balcones is among the most distinctive, incredible whiskys I have ever experienced. I had this in Scotland some years ago and we finally opened the bottle we purchased. It remains as unusual, sweet, and beautiful as I recall. **I can't recall the exact price, but it was approximately 230CAD