Nomad Outland Blended Whisky

Incredible! This is a fantastic and rather distinctive Scotch blend. It's legally a blend, but it undergoes its final aging year in Spain's warmer environment. The brand's site indicates it's a mix of 30 Highland and Speyside malts and grain whiskies, aged 5-8 years, then rested for 3 years in sherry casks before being sent to Spain for an additional year in Pedro Ximénez Sherry casks (contrary to what Proof66 states about brandy casks). This means the whiskies in the blend are actually 9-12 years old. Poured neat, it presents a beautiful reddish dark amber color in the glass. The aroma offers honey, malt, and a sophisticated raisin-like sherry note from the aging. On the palate, these flavors are all present. There's a sweetness to this drink, but it's not overwhelming like many artificially sweetened vodkas. The finish is medium-long with a slight dryness at the very end. The aged sherry taste lingers on the tongue for minutes, not seconds. I can't recall how I first heard about this whisky, but I'm genuinely pleased I discovered it. It seems distributors in my Midwest region don't stock it. (After many calls and requests to large stores to place special orders.) I eventually had it shipped from a California retailer. I purchased a case with other whiskies to make the shipping cost per bottle more reasonable. Including shipping, the price was $40. Some might consider this whisky a trick, but I believe I understand the reasoning. Maturing the whisky in FRESH aged sherry casks likely imparts the most flavor and prevents the casks from becoming sour during transport to Scotland, which can result in that unpleasant "baby-puke" taste found in some sherry-finished Scotches. The gentlemen from The Whisky Vault on YouTube were very impressed with it. (I wanted some reassurance that it was good before spending my money.)

Opaque amber color. On the nose, slightly alcoholic, toasted, and even smoky at times. Nut predominates. Its intense body on the nose suggests little fruit. Notes of pure sherry appear in the background, without yet revealing specific fruits. On the palate, the toasted notes become spicy. Pleasant and smooth on the tongue. Almonds are present but to such an extent that it feels like drinking sherry. Sweet finish.

My first impression as a novice whisky drinker, sampled with a Riedel O whisky glass. Smell: Sweet, fruity (rated 3.5/5), vanilla (rated 2/5). Taste: Warming (rated 4/5) but not overly spiced, slightly sweet with no sourness, medium-light body, the aroma developed slowly, felt like being surrounded by a fruit orchard, especially with green apple notes. Setting: Good for enjoying with dessert.

In short, it's raisin brandy. That might not sound much better than Raisin Bran, but if you enjoy sweet drinks, raisins, or brandy, you might like this. For my taste, it's excessively sweet, almost like a liqueur, and not very complex. I can't say I love it, but it's an unusual drink.

Purchased a small 50ml bottle to try after visiting the Bodega Top Pepe in Jerez out of interest. Very pleasant aroma of raisins, vanilla, and almonds. Smooth on the tongue with dried figs and PX sherry. I will absolutely try to find a full bottle to keep to bring back before departing Spain since it is unavailable in the States.

I found this bottle on discount and I'm very happy about it. I really enjoy sherry-forward spirits, and this one is a complete sherry overload. It nearly blends the line between whiskey and sherry, which is fantastic. Overpowering fig, raisin, and sweetness. If the alcohol percentage were slightly higher, it would be outstanding, but it's still great!