Lady of the Glen 14yr secret islay

The final sample from my exploration of this brand is from an independent bottling of a 14-year-old spirit, aged in an oloroso cask and bottled at 56.2%. The aroma begins with a moderate tartness, showing golden raisins, lemon juice, rich creamy caramel, and a light sea salt, followed by dark chocolate cherry mocha and toasted hazelnuts. This then leads to balsamic strawberries, lychee, and ruby red grapefruit, transitioning into moderate baking spices, leather, and polished oak, accompanied by a medium ethanol burn. The taste presents a medium mouthfeel, starting with creamy orchard fruit before quickly turning moderately tart with golden raisins, lemon juice, and moderate ocean brine. A moderately bitter and tart spice follows, slowly fading to chalk, cocoa powder-dusted prunes, and almond croissant. Balsamic strawberries, lychee, and grapefruit juice then emerge, leading to cloves, ginger, leather, and polished oak, with a medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium in length, featuring dark chocolate cherry mocha, almond croissant, cloves, ginger, mild black pepper, leather, and polished oak. This is a very enjoyable spirit, characterized by a moderate sour citrus presence, yet a creamy sweetness prevents it from becoming overly tart. Ocean brine, earthy spices, and well-aged oak contribute to a pleasant depth of flavor. While others might appreciate the sour and bitter notes more than I do, the sour citrus and moderately bitter spices prevent this from achieving true excellence for me.

Very drinkable even at cask strength. Dark fruit and strawberry notes on the nose and palate. It has a distinct salty jam character that I found pleasing. Reminded me of a nice continental breakfast. Meaning, it was perfectly adequate and served its purpose, but you'll likely want something more soon.