Maclean's Nose

This new blend from the house of Adelphi packs a lot of promise into its bargain-priced bottle. Not only does the malt content comprise 70% of the whisky but it also comes from top tier distilleries. Peated and unpeated distillate from Adelphi’s Ardnamurchan aged from four to six years makes up the backbone, supplemeted by an eight-year-old Campbeltown whisky that is strongly tipped to be Springbank. Rounding out the blend is a five-year-old Diageo grain. It’s soft and creamy on the nose, with honey and peppery spice in the mouth. That pepper continues into a medium length finish It’s a little thin in the mouth for my liking and not as complex as the core Compass Box blends, but for $35 you could do far worse.

Referring to both Charles MacLean and a rocky outcrop on the Ardnamurchan peninsula, Maclean's Nose is a new malt-forward blend by Adelphi. Hints of tinned peaches, sea salt and grilled cod rise from the glass, and there is a lovely interplay of citrus fruits, grist and slightly earthy notes. Mineral, briny and quite oily, the taste emphasizes black olives, herbal peat smoke and white pepper. Green walnuts, bitter lemon and a touch of menthol subside in the medium-length finish. This bottling knocks it out of the park, no wonder people are raving about it. RATING: 3.5/5.0 stars ≙ 84 pts → ABOVE AVERAGE

a floral, caramel to start with that creates notes of oak, honey, cereal, a milder baking spice that turns into some more spice with an apparent dark fruit note from the sherry. The peat appears closer to the end and is noticeable but not overwhelming. Its really solid for the price (27 without tax). Use this instead of walker

Nose: A rich opening of toffee and candied apple, lifted by bright citrusy orange and grounded in mellow oak. Palate: Lively and briny with a gentle smokiness, balanced by warming barrel spice. Finish: Short, but leaves a fleeting impression of subtle sweetness and lingering smoke.

Short bread sweetened peat nose. Briny and earthy peat but doesn't dominate. Easy drinker. Semisweet barley. Plantains, pine nut oil, butter, a touch of vanilla oak. Close, but a step down from Ardnamurchan, as expected. So it's a high quality blend.

Nose: citrus, biscuit, a bit of smoke, warming spices, caramel Palate: spicy upfront, getting pungent and smoky towards finish, salty Finish: sweet and salty, smoky, pungent, bitterness, mineral