Remarkable Regional Malts With A Twist

This is a limited edition from the brand's 70th anniversary, though 5,000 bottles were released. Its outer cardboard tube is designed to twist and rotate, allowing different character heads to be matched with different bodies, which is a rather interesting package. The main flavor profile is a blend of all Scottish regions, represented by characters like the Big Player, Golden Mouse (Highlands), Naughty Kid Corby (Speyside), Peat Man (Islay), and Oyster Rock (Islands) – quite the 'everything but the kitchen sink' series. Let's try this Twist edition! Region: Scotland Cask: Blended Bottling: 4783/5000 ABV: 46% Color: Gold Price: 2800 NTD/700ml Opened: Fresh Nose: Soaked malt, ginger, white pepper, Morinaga fruit candy. The underlying aroma is a more pungent alcohol presence, woody spice, and mint. Palate: Upon entry, distinct smoke, prickliness, wood, peat, and citrus with a medium body. Mid-palate, it becomes increasingly saline in the mouth, with stewed pears. After swallowing, there's a hint of bitter tobacco and malt biscuits. Finish: Digestive biscuit and toasted malt aromas, the acidity of citrus peel, woody sweet spice, and smoky dried longan that transitions to fresh longan juice. With water, the sweetness increases, and the prickliness disappears. The overall experience is much improved, with the malt aroma becoming smoother. Overall: The aroma is mediocre, primarily a sharp, pungent combination of spices and wood that feels quite taxing to smell. The flavor is medium peat and smoke, with the malt's own aroma being quite noticeable. The finish is the best part of this whisky. Its flavor is quite intense, coating the entire mouth. For 2-3 minutes after finishing, you can still enjoy the flavor of dried longan seeping out, which is my favorite aspect. Overall, the flavor profile is a bit too intense and stimulating for beginners. Personally, I feel the regional flavor leans more towards the Islands, but it's richer than a pure Islands expression. If you enjoy Oyster Rock, you'll likely enjoy this Twist edition! Ratings: Nose: ★★ Palate: ★★☆ Finish: ★★★☆ Texture: ★★ Sweetness: ★★★★ Value: ★★☆ Recommendation: ★★ Factory: Douglas Laing & Co. Distributor: Douglas Laing & Co. Taiwan, Ting Han Whisky. Retailer: Jih Fa Tobacco & Alcohol.