Paul John 55.5% Peated Select Cask
Taste score: 95
Category: Indian Whisky, Malted Barley, Peated
Whisky Cabinet Score:
Nose: Warth, brown sugar, soda, peated, iodine. Warmed caramel. Sweet brown sugar. Some acidity in the back. Beautiful nose, not too complex, but perfect. Dark chocolate. Cinnamon comes through wonderfully. Peat levels are in wonderful compliment to the flavors, and not at-all overpowering.
Palate: Deep brown sugar caramel, smooth over the palate, with a nice layering of cinnamon spice. Surprisingly not oak spicy, but rather forward on caramel and cinnamon with some acidity. Like a zesty orange eggs Benny. Oily, buttery, sugary, nice heavy notes of smokes. It rests wonderfully. Not overly intense considering the proof level. It's the rare right kind of complex smooth that works wonderfully.
Conclusion: While I have a clear preferences between the two, both are excellent. The Peated Select Cask is the smoother of the two, and the peat levels are less likely to satisfy peat-heads. That's no criticism of the whisky itself, because it offers far more. As peated whiskies go, this will be a unique taste.
