10.179 - Flamingos smoking pipe tobacco

12 years old, distilled 1st December 2006, 60.2% abv, First Fill Ex-Red Wine Barrique, 243 bottles, dram price C

10.179 - Flamingos smoking pipe tobaccoThe nose has pipe tobacco and chimney soot, alongside red berries and cherries. The mouthfeel is thin with no cling. The body has tobacco leaves, red berries, cherries and finally a hit of soot. The finish has cherries and soot.

Water brings out thin, rapidly expanding whorling that settles into brief mottling. The nose gains plums and frazzles and loses the cherries. The body gains plums, frazzles and lime, and loses the cherries. The soot is diminished. The finish gains plums and loses the cherries.

An unexpected experience - brilliant, bold, but possibly not to everyone’s liking.

One for summer evenings.

Technical score: 4.5/5

Personal preference: I’d like a bottle.

This whisky was provided by the SMWS in a preview session - thanks to them for that. Full editorial control has been retained in the tasting process.