The Lakes The Whiskymakers Reserve No.6

Ninth in the countdown to 300. Another one from The Lakes tonight, this time Reserve No. 6. The Whiskymaker's Reserves from The Lakes are meant to be developing a signature style for the distillery. Or perhaps, excellent marketing for annual offerings. It truly was the win at the World Whisky Awards for best whisky with reserve No. 4 that really put The Lakes on the map. I really enjoyed No. 5, and remember it quite fondly from December 2022. A quick note: it would be fantastic if suggested edits to bottle information were allowed. This bottle is not 69 years old, and the cask type is widely known. A quote from marketing for No. 6: “turning the spotlight on exotic spices and gentle rose fragrance, The Whiskymaker's Reserve No. 6 brings rich new flavours to the fore, creating a distinctly different mood from its predecessors. Matured in the finest, meticulously sourced Oloroso, PX and red wine casks, this complex and aromatic release transports you to the bustle of moorish bazaars” Nose: Thick, quite heavy, and full of red fruits; cranberry, plums, plump berries. Darker, sugary notes of dates, caramel, malty steamed pudding, and tannic spices lead to a leathery character. Floral notes are somewhat hidden by this richness, but there's a hint of rose and perhaps something herbal or menthol. Palate: Thick, rich, and oily. About as full-bodied as any whisky I've tasted. Red fruit will reach out and pull you into the glass; sultanas and raisins are abundant, coated in honey, a toffee-butteriness, and warm toast. Spices appear as clove, ginger, and leathery polished oak. Finish: Long. Slightly bitter dark chocolate begins to emerge through the dark red fruit, but the tannic, slightly astringent oak spice persists longer. A tiny drop of water and the florals come through beautifully on the palate and nose. Lightly sweet, this could evoke the memory of a summer garden or the appearance of a Monet painting. The florals possess a delicacy that a whisper could shatter the illusion; quiet contemplation seems key here. The softening and calming of the thick, heavy profile is transformative. A very subtle earthiness is added to the palate now; think clay bowls filled with colorful spices. Damn - the marketing description is probably accurate. It's still pretentious, though, as is this review now. I'm just going to go and bury my nose in this glass and be quiet now. Whisky taste #292 [Pictured here with some lovely green uvarovite from the ~440 million year old Saranvskiy Massif in Russia. Uvarovite is a chromium bearing calcium garnet and is the only consistently green garnet due to the presence of chromium. ⁣Uvarovite is rare in metamorphic rocks (which this rock is) forming through hot fluid interactions with chromium rich spinel minerals. In the Saranvskiy Massif gabbros and peridotite rich in chromium were hydrothermally altered along fractures to form sheets of these lovely green Russians] The Lakes Running Scores: The One Orange: 2.75/5 The One Moscatel: 3.75/5 The One Port: 2.75/5 Mosaic: 4/5 Bal Masque: 3.75/5 Iris: 4.25/5 Reserve No. 5: 4.5/5 Reserve No. 6: 4.5/5

Technically a reserve 7, but too lazy to change. Nose: Sherry, very, very sweet, honey. Palate: Like sipping a fragrant, tasty perfume. Some spices and dark chocolate. Doesn't taste very alcoholic for 52% ABV. I really enjoy it.