Cragganmore 12 Year Old 20cl

Nose: Sherry oak, grapefruit, vanilla, a little rum cake...but most importantly, Juicy Fruit gum, and I mean that in a good way. A complex embracing nose.

Palate: This one attacked the palate more than I expected, it was strong and surprisingly different than the nose. There were still sherry notes and caramel, and a Speyside floral-ness, but I found a muskiness and bitter fruit notes as well. Hovering over this all was a nice burnt leaves/dry smoke layer, the strength of which kind of surprised me.

Finish: Medium-long, all of the above mingle and slide away, with the smoke sticking around the longest

Thoughts: Interesting, beguiling even. The difference between the smell and the taste was an appealing difference, not a stark, off-putting one. To quote my tasting partner, "this is a relatively simple, salt-of-the-earth Scotch that is dressed up for a fancy night on the town."

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