The shiny golden tube with the cute mouse on it tells me that this blended malt expression from Douglas Laing only produced 1080 bottles and is bottled at a natural cask strength of 54.7%.
Now a couple of days later back at home while thinking back of some good times again at Maltstock the dram is poured and time made to sit down with it.
On the nose I find notes of sweet malt, honeycomb, red crumbly apples, wholegrain cookies, blackcurrant, maple syrup, hint of tobacco and some floral and soft wood notes. Getting between the creamy fruity notes some cereal mixed with dried tropical fruits and a note that makes me think of whole grain Knäckebröd.
The palate has loads of strong flavours of candied ginger, Turkish delight, honey and dark whole grain raisin bread. Bit dryness of spices of wood but nicely mixed in with sweet vanilla creme, raisins, mocha, fruits and fudge. A middle length finish with some sweet chocolate and coffee notes coming through together with some lightly smoked malt, strawberry, apple, banana and mango juice.
A very balanced warming dram with some lovely different notes to it, scoring it a good 8 out of 10. Thanks for sharing it Jan! All is left to share with you all on this expression is what is told on the box about it by Douglas Laing, the story of the mouse...
The wind hips across a cold warehouse floor,
where many a mouse has scurried before
The casks sit in silence, longing to shine,
waiting for the moment when pronounced "sublime!"
Forty long years in this cold, damp dwelling,
all the time its flavour swelling
Under the watchful eyes of a careful guard
and a wee field mouse known well by the bard
Much has changed outside these walls,
where cobwebs flutter and bricks dust falls
The casks have reached their seniority,
may we now present to you our timorous beastie forty
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