Shetland Reel – Blended Scotch Whisky
Nose : Earthy and spirity with notes of plum brandy, dried fruits, brown sugar, cinnamon bark, leather & precious solid wood. After a few minutes swirling in the glass, the peaty/smoky and herbal aromas are more than present !
Palate : My first impression was like « omg ! this is exactly how I picture the Shetlands Islands ! », I’ve never been there (I know… I’m missing out, it’s definitely on top of my travel bucket list !) but I would describe the area as a remote, rough & plain territory with a strong coastal influence and capricious weather. This dram encompasses all those aspects with its rounded but yet peaty, smoky and subtly briny profile. Don’t expect anything superfluous here, this dram is quite straight-forward, it does the job, and does it well but that’s it.
I would describe it as « mannish » if I were not completely fed up with this recurrent « gender » debate in whisky ;)
Finish : medium with a lingering smokiness.
Recommended Food Pairing : Shetland oysters
From December -Anne-Sophie will open her Advent Calendar, taste her dram and then publish her tasting notes and thoughts on each of the whiskies on the Angels’ Share Glass blog.
She’ll also be posting photos on Instagram - www.instagram.com/thewhiskylady - for those who want to take a closer look at the surprise dram every morning.
There are 25 miniatures for Anne-Sophie to taste - each one from independent bottlers and many at cask strength – with an extra special whisky for Christmas Day.