Review #197: Douglas Laing's Double Barrel : Highland Park & Bowmore

Blend - 10 - NCF - NCA - $60 - 46%

This is a vatting of Bowmore and Highland Park.  It is NCF, which is a nice change from the standard releases from these distilleries.  Personally, have never had a Bowmore I found worth drinking.  Lets see if vatting some HP can turn that around.  

Color - Yellow Gold

Nose - Sea spray, snuffed candles, lemon curds, medicinal peat

Palate - Malt, golden delicious apples, brine, faint smoke

Finish - Medium - Brine, lemon rind, the brine and lemon creating a bitter sweet flavor

Overall - 5 - This just didn't do it for me.  The lemon and brine just didn't seem to compliment each other.  The nose was really solid but it didn't just carry through. I think the Islay overwhelms the Orkney in this blend.  It is perfectly drinkable, but just not my style.  

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Rating system is price influenced as it is based on my shopping decisions when buying a bottle.

10 Best in Show

9 Great Dram for Special Occasions

8 Worthy of consistent spot in my collection

7 Worth picking up a bottle if in the mood

6 I would buy a bottle if it went on sale
5.5 I really enjoyed but it will never be priced at where I would buy a bottle

5 I would drink it happily if offered

4 I would drink it if offered on the rocks

3 Maybe some soda will make this potable

2 I'll Pass

1 Toilet cleaner

Inclusive Ratings

Overall 6.1

Standard Deviation 0.91

Skew 0.66

Kurtosis -0.16