Strathisla 12 Year Chieftain's (Ian Macleod)

The nose is fairly wet with some overripe fruit, some wood (or perhaps cardboard), a bit of cinnamon and ginger, and a tad of savory something (but not much richness). The palate is fairly mild, with a delayed spicy kick that brings in wood and some fruit. The richness gradually comes out, building out some robust mix of wood, a little coffee, strawberry, spices, some more toffee notes with savory from nuts. Some minerals doe come out with some sea spray. The floral notes are a bit much. As it goes on, the alcohol starts taking over and the rich flavors fade, leaving mostly a solid whiskey for the age. It disappointingly quickly goes from weak to rich and tasty, back to weak, and then down into generic and underaged. A bigger swig shows off the potential with plenty of sweetness and some richness hanging out with wood, spices, and smoke. The balance needs some work, but it isn't too bad. I could enjoy sipping this, but it wouldn't be delightful.