Dà Mhile Single Grain Scotch: Gin and Eggnog, anyone?
I tried one of the following sample bottles tonight: Pronounced Da-Vee-Lay (Gaelic for 2000 which is the year it was distilled).
Dà Mhile 14 Year Organic Single Grain Scotch Whisky by the Loch Lomond Distillery. 46% ABV
I try to make a point to know as little about a new whisky as possible before I try it; as was the case with this whisky.
Is was certainly like no other whisky I've tried. Nosing it at first pour, my instant befuddled reaction was: "Weird. Gin and Eggnog??"
The nose is unmistakably a mix of Gin botanical notes and bourbon vanilla notes and some oak.
I was amazed that after checking the website...I find that Dà Mhile makes both scotch and....gin! I can't help but wonder that if the stills are used interchangeably, were they just not cleaned completely? Or, perhaps once one distills gin in a still, it's impossible to clean the gin flavor from the still? I find this interesting because I have a craft distillery in my town that is a few years old and has been producing vodka and gin. A fairly recent local article caught my attention in that the owners were working on branching out into whiskey. IF......they have the same issues with crossover, I will want no part of it.
Taste: I reduced the 46% ABV down to 40% for tasting as the high ABV of this grain whisky had, in addition to the gin and to a bit lesser extent, bourbon notes it also had rubbing alcohol notes.
It tastes like it smells with no additional or hidden surprises.
Sorry, guys. Not for me. Too craft like, and not in a good way; unintentionally bizarre. I have to say I decided to toss the rest of the glass and perform shock treatment on my senses with a dram of Ardbeg 10.
ChrisL
