Black Friday 2019 (The Whisky Exchange)

This is the third year The Whisky Exchange is releasing a Black Friday limited edition, usually selling out in a number of minutes because of its outstanding value for money.

After last year’s excellent Highland Park in disguise, we are now getting an older undisclosed Speyside 21 Year Old, bottled from a handful of casks sourced from a secret distillery founded as early as 1810, located between Forres and Elgin and rarely seen as a single malt whisky.

Cask strength and 21 years old for less than € 100…

Speyside 21 yo ‘Black Friday’ (53,1%, The Whisky Exchange 2019, 1800 btl.)

Nose: a lovely fruit salad, revolving around melons and apples. Hints of nectarine, vanilla cake and white chocolate pavlova. Light waxy touches. After a while it becomes more tropical with pineapple, maracuja and fresh papaya.

Mouth: even more fruits now. Loads of mangos, guavas, peaches, pink grapefruit and passion fruit. Some mint and green, grassy touches in the background. Rather Irish in a way. Subtle cinnamon and candied ginger towards the end.

Finish: medium long, more on apples, with vanilla cream and gentle oak spice.

An utterly fruity whisky, with flashes of Littlemill or these undisclosed Bushmills bottlings. At this price a no-brainer for me. Grab it while you can, it will go online at 6 am GMT only from The Whisky Exchange. (now out of stock)

Score: 90/100