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The Independent Selection
It was a dram incident
It was a dram incident
I recently reviewed the Strathmill 11yo by Hogshead imports.
But that was a sample. And I wanted more. So I went hunting for a bottle.
Luckily, many places offer the Hogshead series and I could pick which liquor store I went to.
Last weekend I was invited for a small family get together and in the same street is a store with a very large selection on whisky. So I decided to visit that store, in this case slijterij "De Helm", and I spotted the Hogshead series immediately when entering the store. While pondering on the Strathmill that I already tried or the Linkwood from the same series, I was approached by the shopkeeper and started one of the more fun discussions on whisky and independent bottlers that I had in a store.
Before I knew what was happening I stood with a dram in hand, discussing independent bottlers and how they compare. Spoiler, I did not leave with a bottle from the Hogshead series, but a different Linkwood from another independent bottler. And next to that, because I had to go to that family get together, with a dram of this whisky, since the shopkeeper let me know I had to try it: The Independent Selection with a 5 year old whisky distilled at the Glasgow distillery. I had not heard of this independent bottler before, so I was looking forward to try this sample.
This 2017 Lowland whisky, bottled in 2022 is bottled at 50% Vol. and comes from a single butt. I suspect no added coloring and un-chill filtered based on other bottles in this series. (I forgot to take a photo from the back.)
The color is a dark amber and I get a nice clear line with some thin legs after a twirl.
After pouring, I immediately smell these warm wood notes coming from the whisky.
On the nose: Warm notes, like chocolate coated raisins and nuts. Some hints of dried fruits, plums and figs. A tiny hint of leather. I even get some small hints of biscuits. All together with some oak. It even gives me some herbs and spices, like cardamom and some thyme.
Taste: Again the chocolate covered nuts, but a bit bitter this time. followed by dried apples with some hints of cinnamon heat. I really like the spices on the back of the tongue, some heat, some fennel. I even get some butter.
Finish, medium-long. Hints of oak, toasted nuts and honey spilled on the grill while cooking. I love that you get some of the spirit in the end, which I was expecting earlier on 50%.
I got this dram, because the shopkeeper no longer had a closed bottle. I now know why. This dram has everything I like in a nice warm whisky.
Would get a bottle if I run into it!
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