Deanston 2002 17 years old organic px finish

This 2002 expression, aged 17 years total with 14 in refill oak and a final three in Pedro Ximénez casks, comes in at 49.3% ABV. The aroma presents a sweet and sour combination of gooseberry and sherry, followed by chocolate-covered raisins, then the pithy notes of orange and lemon, leading to faint sulfur. This then shifts to spices like ginger, cloves, and weathered driftwood, with a noticeable ethanol presence. On the palate, a light body begins with sweetness from chopped apples and mandarin oranges, then chocolate-covered raisins, followed by grapefruit and lemon pith. It then transitions to a moderately tannic and drying spice that gradually fades into black pepper, ginger root, cloves, and damp driftwood, with a medium ethanol burn. The finish is brief, featuring grapefruit pith, tart apple, dark chocolate, ginger root, scorched yet still smoldering cloves, and an ashy oak character. This is disappointing throughout, with sourness, sulfur, a medley of pithy fruit, and waterlogged oak on the nose. The taste initially shows potential with pleasant fruit flavors before the invasion of bitter pith fruit and a drying, tannic spice, culminating in a dry, sour, and tannic conclusion. The only remaining action for this pour is deciding its fate, as I'm not finishing this sample. After consideration, the best send-off for this is a goldfish's funeral at a carnival, bidding farewell to this expensive, sour spirit as it disappears down the drain.

(From a virtual premium whisky tasting hosted by Good Spirits Co. Glasgow on June 19th, 2021). Nose: Sultanas, raisins, Demerara sugar, struck matches Palate: Gristy, caramel, raisins/dates, waxy. Very sweet. Maple syrup, candied/dried fruit Finish: Moderately sweet conclusion. Oak and chocolate cherries. Vanilla and leather on the lingering taste This is a rather waxy spirit. It's sweet and gristy, but with lovely dark fruit notes from the PX sherry cask, most prominent in the finish. It's not a bad dram at all, but it's muted and a bit too waxy for my preference. It tied for last place out of the six spirits tasted, with no votes for favorite of the night. Nineteen percent of attendees indicated they enjoyed the whisky.