Port Charlotte 2007 CC:01

Style: Sweet, Barbeque smoke and Spicy

Rating: ☆ [Recommended]

Nose:

Sticky Riesling injected with a dose of barbeque smoke and iodine. A string of sweet white grapes, powerful chilli spice peeling off a layer of earthiness. Spearmint overtone, sugared green mangoes, dried apricots and meat stock shining at the core. Sweet and feisty.

Palate:

Sweet, smoky apricots served on the palate. Crystallized pears and sugar plums creating a round, satisfying sweetness, which circles around some smoked mackerel notes. Vanilla sugar, dry hay stacks building on top of iodine brushes, a seaside farm-y vibe I am getting here... Wine texture, a hint of olives and barbeque pork with a pinch of sea salt. Roasted coffee beans chocolate at the back. Finishes with subtle liquorice roots.

Finish:

Stewed tropical fruits with tarry smoke gently lacing around it. Clean, sweet white grapes continue to linger. Quite nice.

Thoughts:

Oddly, I see glimpses of Port Ellen in this dram. Of course they are not the same thing, also, young Port Ellen are usually much tighter than Port Charlotte. But there are a few overlapping moments which reminds me of a good PE in this PC – maybe it is the near-perfect distribution between fruitiness, meatiness, maritime notes and peat smoke, they gather, synergize and paint a colourful picture in front of you… Not saying this is the best whisky, but drams like this make me feel Port Charlotte is so underrated.

[57.8% | 2015 Bottled | 2007 Distilled | Original Bottling | Limited Release | Travel Retail Exclusive | Non Coloured | Non Chill Filtered | No Age Statement | Aged 8 Years | *]

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