‘The Singleton’ of Speyside K&L Selection
Distillery: Auchroisk.
Region: Mulben, Banffshire.
ABV: 60.3%.
Age: 12 Years.
Cask type: Refill Butt.
Price: $60.
Color: 0.1-0.2 White Wine – Pale Straw. Natural Color. No chill filtration.
Tasting Notes
Tasted neat in a Glencairn with 15+ minutes of rest. Dilution was added for the second half of the tasting with an additional rest of upwards of an hour. This review encompasses my initial impression to the final glass.
Nose: A unique nose with a rich floral malt. You can pick up scents of cherry blossoms, rosewater, and vanilla. The sweet malty aroma stands out, highlighting hints of tobacco and leather. There’s a nice blend of fruits that brings some complexity to the nose. You’ll find the usual soft pear or white grape notes, along with a sweeter mandarin orange providing a contrast to a tart cranberry.
Palate: The nose leads you down this floral path to a sweet, cereal dram. Honey, sea salt, barley, and oats. Very confident in its simplicity. The sweet grasses and hay remind me of blooming wheat fields in the spring. Decadent and oily mouthfeel that has quite the starchy texture. Mashed yuca with chives and a dash of fresh cracked white peppercorns. Lastly, a grilled and seasoned white peach flavor brings some needed harmony to the floral notes.
Finish: The dram starts on a high and ends with a more subdued finale. A woody oak with a soapy, cilantro, and alfalfa grass flavor. The sweeter and darker flavors of honey-glazed figs are overtaken by a sharp bitter grapefruit. Dry white table wine is how best I can describe the brief finish of this whisky.
Overall
This selection is a perfectly acceptable malt with overt cereal notes and an oily texture. Outside of those two praises, there’s not much else to discuss with this one. It’s simple, well-balanced, but lacks that impressiveness. Pair this bottle with some whole-grain crackers and a hard cheese for more interesting flavor development.
Perhaps I’m asking too much from this malt but I’ve had some exceptional Auchroisk bottlings in the past. Not that I’m disappointed with my purchase but after having finished my bottle, I likely would put my money toward something different with a bit of challenge. Now that the bottle is on further discount, I can’t say I’m rushing to replace it.
The “House White” of Scotch. A drinkable malt, accentuated with the right pairing, but uneventful otherwise.
Final Score: 78
