Also included that night was a "White Elephant" gift exchange. Those are always fun. With our group you never get a beer pong set or a paper-weight.
-smelled very light oak with a slightly burnt scent
-tasted peppery with slight rubber
-with water smelled vanilla sweet
-tasted rubbery oak
-trailed sour
Water definitely ruined this. Very light whisky.
*Edradour Natural Cask Strength 58% ABV Bourbon aged
Refer to the August 2014 tasting notes. We tasted it in St Augustine that night.
*Oban 18yr. 43% ABV
-smelled orange and cinnamon with slight vanilla
-tasted doughy citrus with very little burn
-with water smelled oak and orange
-tasted bitter oak
-sweetness lost
Water ruined this whisky for sure. Citrus/orange went away.
*Glenfarclas 12yr. 43% ABV
-smelled caramel and raisins/grape with a tinge of oak
-tasted strong oak/peppery with plain doughnut
-with water - bitter pepper
-sweetness went away
Water completely ruined this!
*Ardmore Traditional Cask 46% ABV
-smelled leathery with vanilla
-tasted peppery/chalky/smokey and tar (um, good)
-with water smelled light oak
-tasted smokey/burnt wood
-trailed sour oak
A light hand with the water is necessary to just take off the alcohol burn without losing the sweetness. Unless, of course, tar and smokey, burnt wood are what you are after.