Dewar Rattray
Cask Islay Sherry Edition 59.9%

Tasted: Aug 2019
A nose of intense, edgy, earthy Oloroso with dark chocolate, treacle, walnuts, burnt raisin and oily peat. Subtle citrus, barley, high toned fruit and violets appear along with some slightly creamy dried fruit. Although the sherry is very noticeable there is some old skool Caol Ila crispness beneath.

The palate opens with raisinated fruit, earth and herbal, edgy Oloroso. Hints of tar, oily peat, heavily toasted nuts, treacle, dark chocolate and dark syrup follow. The alcohol ramps up the saltiness on the middle and the finish is long and herbal with bog myrtle and iodine notes. There’s more sherry influence on the palate.

Water negates some of the sherry intensity and allows a touch more of the barley to be discerned. Still quite herbal and peaty with salt and subtler dried fruit. The palate also shows less sherry but there is a touch more drying tannin, which to be fair is balanced by the treacle. There’s more salt and citrus on the middle and the peat is a touch sweeter with violets, tar and dark chocolate on the finish.