Scallywag - The Chocolate Edition

48% / Speyside Blended Malt Whisky / Sherry Cask Matured

The Scallywag brand comes from independent bottlers, Douglas Laing. They have released different editions of the Scallywag whisky bottles, with each one honing on a different style of delivery. As it says on their website: "Inspired by a long line of Douglas Laing family Fox Terriers, Scallywag Malt Scotch Whisky is a marriage of aged Speyside Single Malts matured predominantly in Spanish Sherry casks"

They are bottled and released in limited batches and don't seem to hang around on the shelves for very long.

This one is The Chocolate Edition. The writing on the bottle promises notes of cocoa-richness and warming spice and is limited to just 3000 bottles.

Appearance: Golden amber. Fast & waxen legs.

Nose: Sweet fruit and barley. Chocolate-covered caramel bars and a confectionary shop. Chocolate-covered cherries. And a medium delivery of sherry is definitely there along with a gentle spice.

Palate: Sweet and spicy (but not burning), The spice dances around on the tip of the tongue, whilst it turns sweeter as it moves towards the back of the tongue. There's a tannic dryness to the body with some light oil, cinnamon, high-cocoa content bitter dark chocolate, and pastry.

Finish: Medium with a spiced oaky dryness. It's quite thin, to be honest with not much of the sherry richness I was hoping for.

Conclusion: Given this has only been open for a few days, I'm not overly impressed so far. They do say that the casks have been selected to impart spice - and this is true as it does indeed. But I'm struggling to see how this bottle justifies the money I paid for it. That's the gamble you take when you buy blind I guess. It's not imparting enough richness of sherry and whilst there may be a chocolate influence on the nose, it's not coming through on the palate (at least to me)

Hopefully, it will open up and improve with air. If it does, I will come back and edit this review.

/edit - I gave it away. This is not a whisky I'll buy or try again.

Available from a selection of retailers for around £51.