Color: Light to medium amber, clover honey color with persistent, thick and oily legs.
Nose: Roasted sesame seeds, roasted almonds and boiled peanuts. Nutmeg and ground cloves. Cocoa powder, bell peppers and aloe vera. After letting it air for a few minutes sweeter aromas take over vegetal ones: Vanilla, frosting, cupcakes and milk chocolate....
Palate: A little thin compared to other recent Paul John releases and also to older Christmas Editions. Just a subtle hint of peat: Burnt ends, charcoal and tangy barbecue sauce. Fresh apricots, raspberries and stainless steel flasks. Again after airing a couple of minutes it gets sweeter and creamy: Cream soda, canned pineapple rings and clotted cream. White pepper and ground coriander.
Finish: Medium long with ground white and green pepper, coriander and sweetened heavy cream.
Overall: This is a dangerously easy drinking whisky... Bring a bottle to your family's Christmas Party and I guarantee that you will not find a drop in that bottle in the end of the night. It is immensely enjoyable and would pair perfectly well with any dessert you can think of. I particularly loved the creaminess virgin oak casks added to the palate and also the subtle, barely detectable but very tasty peat. I am definitely getting a bottle when released. Cannot wait... Many thanks to Koray Kaan Özdemir a.k.a. Whisky Monster for filling this sample bottle from his own limited supply and sending my way for this review.
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