Red Spot 15 Year Old

Green Spot, Yellow Spot and even Blue Spot you are probably familiar with. Well: here's the Red Spot, a 15-year-old single pot still that matured on a mix of bourbon casks, sherry butts and – drum roll – Marsala wine barrels. I confess I was really looking forward to this.

Delicious fruity nose on all kinds of red fruit with overripe strawberries in the leading role, immediately followed by pomegranate, maple syrup and soft caramel. Or is that honey? Malt sugars and some cinnamon complete the sweet picture. Silky smooth and sensual.

Also on the palate it is silky soft and even a bit creamy. Again red fruit and some cinnamon, but now also something fresh like poached cherries and stewed rhubarb. Nice and oily. The caramel returns, but is quickly drowned out by vanilla. A beautiful spiciness that typifies the single pot still. Delicious.

Pomegranate returns to the medium, spicy finish.

Fantastic whiskey, which I think is indebted to the Marsala barrels. Thx, Benny!