Nose: Dark chocolate, lemon cough drops, BBQ pineapple, diesel fumes, coal, creosote. Damp earth, Bay Leaves, mechanics work shop, ripe pear skins, vanilla pod, stables. With water even more diesel, plus tar in Betadine.
Palate: Pepper, chili’s, paprika. Soot, 90% dark chocolate, dried pears, mandarins, vanilla, coal, raisins. Water adds lemon, salt and Bay Leaves. Full bodied.
Finish: Mint, 90% dark chocolate, pepper, chili’s, cacao paste, short black, balsamic, soot, dry. Water lengthens the hot spices and adds trailing lemons.
Last Word: A whisky that brings a sledge hammer to a knife fight. While maybe not as balanced as some of the other Mars Heavily Peated Whiskies I’ve tasted it’s certainly entertaining. The nose it the highlight.
Rating: 86/100