anCnoc – Blas Limited Edition (70cl, 54%)

Blas is a limited edition single malt from anCnoc in the Highlands, bottled at 54% in a 70cl bottle. The name is Gaelic for taste, and the bottle and tube design come from a collaboration with Scottish fashion designer Patrick Grant. It was matured in Spanish and American oak and is non-chill-filtered and of natural colour. The colour is golden honey. The nose is intensely sweet and fruity, with lemon and candied orange peel, plus a hint of dark chocolate and vanilla. The palate is full and oily: warm lemon tart, then rum and raisin and dark chocolate, with a touch of freshly cut grass. The finish is long, with a bittersweet cocoa aftertaste.