Ardnamurchan 10, 2015, Decadent Drinks, Decadent Drams, 2025, 55%. WB289307

The standard ten years-olds didn’t impress me much, but as a 10 years old cask strength was released, it was gone before you could say yikes-a-ten-years-old-cask-strength-from-Ardnamurchan-what-a-lovely-distillery-i-need-one…Now Decadent Drinks released this one, and I didn’t hesitate. Was it worth it?

Nose: Slightly alcoholic, sparkling. Some dates and dried figs, not particularly rich, somewhat subdued, smoky aromas such as cigar and ashtray dominate the dimensions. A hint of pipe and tobacco. In the background and occasionally in the foreground, waves of sweat float through the air.

Palate: Sweet, also slightly sour, a little salty, peppery. Cloves and nutmeg. A slightly nutty note, perhaps marzipan? And a kind of aniseed note, or is it eucalyptus? In any case, not so decadent.

Finish: Disappears very quickly, depending on how big the sip was. The sweetness sticks in the mouth. A few tannins remain.

89/88/88

The Marketing Malt 2008, Decadent Drinks, The Virtual Malt, 55%, Decadent Drams x Aqvavitae, WB290122

Another secret, another mystery. Aren't I tired of these bottlings? But I couldn’t resist; this one is a special bottling from Aqvavitae and sounds very promising. There are rumors of which distillery is behind this one…maybe I don’t care, or do I? Somehow, it's all a bit too much. The image is supposed to be meaningful and the labels on the bottle are very sophisticated. Perhaps this bottle isn't intended for people like me. Maybe I just don’t understand the concept, since I'm a bit simple-minded. Drinking a good whisky is no longer enough.

On the nose, it's just wow. At first, I couldn’t detect any herbs or spices, just lots of dark fruits, cooked fruits and all kinds of jam. Or should I call it marmalade? Cherries, plums, dates. After a few hours, hints of cinnamon and nutmeg appear.

Palate: It's very sweet with hints of burnt caramel, treacle, dark fudge and dark chocolate. Black pepper, but subtle. Coca-Cola.

Finish: A lingering coffee sensation with an oily, syrupy sweet latte aftertaste. The alcohol burns the mouth slightly. A nice drink for nice people: not too overpowering and not too complex. Of course, this is all just my personal opinion…

89/89/86