Sheep Dip "Old Hebridean" Vintage 1990 (40.0%): This very limited blended malt is created by Master Blender Richard Patterson for Spencerfield Spirits Company which brought us recently Pig's Nose, Sheep Dip Original and Edinburgh Gin. Company's website says that the whisky is blended using casks containing 19yo Dalmore, 21yo Fettercairn and 25yo Ardbeg and matured after the marriage in new made barrels for 15 years. So, I couldn't quite figure out how the math works but it sure sounds good. Only 700 cases have been made available. Color: Dark amber with a bright coppery glitter. Nose: Very syrupy and sweet; mouth watering. Unmistakably old Ardbeg nose topped with sweet clover honey. After letting it air a little dusty charcoal, raw leather and tobacco aromas evolve. Palate: Warmed up lavender honey and thin baklava syrup hits the tongue first. Poached fruits and spices add after: candied orange peel, baked quince jam like my grandma used to make, baked apples with cinnamon sugar and cloves. Very subtle peat at the back with moist tobacco leaves, cigar butt and earl grey tea. Everything sits on a continuous sweet and malty vanilla bed. Finish: Not so long like I expected but quite spicy. Cigar smoke, toasted oak and crushed black pepper wholes. Overall: Nicely balanced and quite tasty dram. It is extremely easy to drink and worth its price tag just around $100 if you can still find a bottle. If only it was bottled on a slightly higher abv..!
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