Speyburn 16 Travel Exclusive

Nose: Initially notes of grapefruit, pineapple, tangerine, green hay, cereal grist, and oatmeal porridge. Fleeting hints of pine resin, menthol, and eucalyptus oil. After some time, the nose softens considerably, revealing herbal honey, vanilla, musk, and warm citrus aromas. Palate: A bright, almost sharp sweetness of pears on the arrival, with a warm malt core. As it develops, notes of vanilla, orchard fruits, citrus, pineapple, and grist appear, mirroring the nose. After resting and a couple of sips, the profile gains more depth and character with honey, lemon pudding, banana custard, and unusual fragrant wood notes. The texture is creamy. Finish: Medium length. Herbal lozenges fade to barley sugar, then become slightly metallic before resolving into milk chocolate-covered honeycomb in the aftertaste. A peculiar whiskey, but not bad – just unusual. It starts off smelling like a Mannochmore or a grassy Teaninich, but after 15 minutes and a few sips, it transforms into something more like Scapa, eventually resembling a Linkwood. It's a fascinating shape-shifter, unique and delightfully complex. Speyburn is typically found as 10, 15, or 18-year-old expressions, but this 16-year-old was a special release in 2018. Initially, I thought it would be unremarkable, but it far exceeded my expectations. The source where I got this sample has remaining bottles for under AUD$100, which I consider a great deal. It's just shy of being a 4-star whiskey. Tasted from a 30ml sampler. "Good": 84/100 (3.75 stars)

Very easy to drink. A little water improves it.