Sampling The Whisky Exchange Christmas Malt 2019 – More Fire Than A Flaming Xmas Pud!

Nose: Lovely whiffs of Sherry which get more intense as time passes. Banana, apples and white oak. Rich fruit cake and black treacle. Little wisps of orange and furniture polish.

Palate: Tingly, tongue-dancing sherbet sweetness. Rich Christmas cake and caramel. Creamy butterscotch, little Xmas tangerines (the kind you always get at Crimbo time!)

Finish: Peppery, chilli spice. Fiery – like a log fire – but don’t get too close!

The sweetness dampens the heat and stays right through the finish which is quite long.

Overall: The addition of water takes a lot of heat off producing a smoother, thinner dram.

Quite a handful this one, especially on Christmas day. Very morish so be careful how much you ‘sample’ or you might just burn the dinner – or maybe it won’t get cooked at all!