Bastille single malt

Of the non-scotch single malts I’ve had, this is the closest to actual scotch… if you put this in a lineup alongside four scotches, I’m not sure I’d be able to say this was the “non-scotch” among them. It lives in the Speyside/Highland realm for me. The barley is very crisp on the nose with underlying full bodied fruits (not meaning super fruity) and a hint of peat, but not smoky at all. This translates entirely to the palate but with the addition of leather that then turns woody on the finish. I get more of the red burgundy barrel influence than the sherry; I’ll admit I don’t know enough about Sauternes to be able to pick it out. All in all a beautiful bottle, great for fall weather.

Reminded me of highland malts with a bit of smoke. Very pleasant. After you let the juice to rest in the glass for a few minutes it opens up. Butter scotch, citrusy, floral and ash. Not too complex but the medium body and bite makes up for it.

Fruity on the nose. Spicy and slightly sweet on the tongue. Surprisingly smooth considering how fiery it is in the mouth. Not much aftertaste, just some lingering fruitiness.

Smells like apricot and cooked pears. Spicy but smooth and not too sweet. Lightly peated with flavors of malt, fruit, and bergamot.

Tastes and smells of apricot and bergamot. A bit of a sharp bite, but goes down smoothly. An aftertaste of malt.

Sweet smell like apples or fruit. Also tastes sweet but not overly so, lingering spicy fruitiness, smooth