Community Tasting Note

Soteriologist wrote:

Tuesday, May 12, 2015 - This note comes under the heading Debunking Christopher Hitchens who in this interview risked quite a mouthful in favor of this whisky and thereby inspired me to buy a miniature.

Day 1, 5/12/2015: Direct comparison with the Bushmills Black Bush which is surely even cheaper than this.
Never mind the amusingly artificial color, the nose does suggest a kind of poor man's Talisker, but I don't know where the honey note comes from. It is good for the price (I would give it an 89-90), but OTOH, it isn't better, only a bit darker than that of the Bushmills BB and slightly smoky. A similar mention can be made of the palate: it is different and a bit drier than the Bushmills BB mentioned above, but not better. Very dusty. In fact, I would only give it an 85-86 and clearly prefer that Bushmills at a lower price.
And so I guess Hitchens is refuted, as far as I am concerned. Can't see why anyone would buy this. If one is low on money, there are nicer palates for the price and much nicer for just a few € more. In fact if I could only afford this whisky, I would simply stop drinking whisky altogether. And if someone has as much money as Hitchens and he likes that direction, a Talisker Port Ruighe will completely put this in its place. To test this hypothesis, I will compare the rest of my miniature with that Talisker tomorrow.

Day 2, 5/13/2015: Direct comparison with the Talisker Port Ruighe. The nose makes me want to bet that some Talisker whisky (and apparently at least 12 year old) has a big part in this blend. Like yesterday, the nose is the best part of it and is quite convincing even if a little reserved. The palate, however, also reminds me of yesterday as well as of yofog's mention of heat, which seems to go with a dusty and muffling effect. It seems quite possible that this is what is left of the Talisker chili spice in this blend, but here it isn't offset by such a space of aroma and fruit. Needless to say, on the palate our Talisker starts where this one ends. To be expected of a single malt at more than twice the price of this blended whisky, but if you consider the enjoyment per volume, the Talisker Port Ruighe is probably cheaper: one sip of it is more enjoyable than three of this one. So unless you are drinking for alcoholic effects, I would go for this Talisker PR directly and drink half the amount taking small sips.

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