Michel Couvreur Overaged Peated Extra Strength

Michel Couvreur virtual tasting, October 21, 2021. Whisky #2 Aroma: Sweet maritime peat, ash, faint tropical fruit hints, brine. Taste: A sweet, soft initial taste with an oily texture, light fruit notes, and a honeyed character. The fruit becomes clearer as it develops, and a smoky, ashy quality is prominent, building throughout the taste and into the finish. Finish: Medium/short. Smoky, sweet. I hadn't explored Michel Couvreur whiskies before, but a recent virtual tasting of 5 expressions sparked my interest. This strongly resembles a smooth Islay peated malt. While I'm unsure of the distillate, I'd guess peated Bunnahabhain. It shares a quality with Kilchoman, but Bunnahabhain is a more probable source for bulk spirit. It's an enjoyable peated whisky, gentle and easy to drink, with no off-notes. However, I found it a bit generic. Despite its stated 12 years of age, it still seems somewhat young, even with the inclusion of whiskies up to 20 years old, and lacks significant complexity. I prefer my single malts to have a bit more punch than this, but perhaps that's not the Couvreur approach to maturation. "Above Average": 82/100 (3.25 stars)