After loving Douro Cruise, when SMWS announced another Speyside single malt aged in a dessert wine cask I was in. This time it was Full Bloom, an 18 year old aged in Welsh Muscat barrels and still bottled at 100 proof.
SMWS Full Bloom
Age: 18
Proof: 100
Neat
Notes: The extra age was apparent on the big nose with rich oak notes supported by caramel and fruit sweetness and cinnamon spice. The palate is a little more tame with more oak, caramel and a fruit note that I can’t place. The finish is long and slightly dry with oak, cinnamon and sticky honey notes. The mouthfeel and proof integration were nice but unremarkable.
Stars: 1 - Good whisky: I would choose to drink this over readily available whiskies
Conclusion
This is a good bottle for sure but doesn’t stand out enough from the much cheaper Douro Cruise to win that one. On the other hand $180 for a 100 proof, 18 year old single malt isn’t a bad price. I was hoping for more here but that might have just been me.
TL;DR: Good whisky but I was hoping for more