21/01/2021 Another blind dram

Nose: cereal and grist, augmented with a drop of dry white wine, chaff, iron tonic, husks, and it takes a third sniff for something sweeter to appear -- pressed sultanas, maybe... but also a whiff of soap bar. Further breathing allows cooled-down baked apricot to emerge, though it does not shake off the soap-bar or foamy-detergent-water hind note. It bothers me not, yet it is certainly there. In fact, I would class it as foamy smelling, with cola foam on top of the soap one. Barley sugar and barley water liven the nose up, after a moment. The second nose reveals something more velvety -- apricots, probably? Waxy mirabelle plums? A faint note of faded leather is late in the ring and completes the picture. Mouth: barley water again, mixed in with some kind of flower sap... and foamy soap. It is not off-putting here either, but it is present. Plum and apricot flesh rear their heads in the distance, though what is more obvious is saxifrage and violet. The whole is strangely integrated, to a point I question my taste buds -- is it really that bitter and soapy? There is a mix of young fruit liqueur and ink, with a drop of petrol added for shits and giggles. Finish: a faithful continuation of the nose and palate, the finish has iron tonic and barley water, baked apricot skins, barely-ripe hazelnuts. The second sip is geared towards apéritif mixers and fruit liqueurs, with plum, yet also chemical-tropical fruits. It comes close to fruit purée in a plastic tub; only a purée made with fruits that could and should be riper to be truly enjoyable. Not bad, yet also not great. It turns out to be another I enjoyed much more the first time. Bunnahabhain 22yo 1991/2014 (47.2%, Whiskybroker.co.uk, Sherry Hogshead, C#801580, 206b, b#4) 6/10 (Thanks for the sample, JW)