Owen Lewis
May 25, 2026, 16:50:43
Popped this one open after a mate insisted it was a bit of a head-scratcher. Colour’s that deep gold, label's surprisingly refined — almost too elegant for what’s inside. First sniff and I’m hit with pine resin straight off, like walking through a damp conifer wood. Then it weirdly reminded me of V&M, that old border town shop smell. After a moment, proper homemade walnut wine comes through, skins and all — that slightly bitter, tannic bite of walnut skins, like a blend of walnut stain. A strange umami sauce note too, almost soy-like, which kept me coming back. The taste? Whacky malt whisky, challenging in the way that 1975 Ardbeg could be, but there's this odd Madeira sweetness underneath the bitter almonds and savoury edge. Definitely not a crowd-pleaser, but good fun if you’re into those ueber-whisky-elite curveballs. Could imagine they bottled this specifically for some mad Japanese bar. Glad I tried it, but I’m still scratching my head. 😅
