Hazelburn 12 Years Old Bottled 2011 46% NV

Professional reviews

Serge Valentin (86)

Beste Mevrouw/Mijnheer

De afbeelding op de website van de Hazelburn 12yo versie 2009 toont een afwijkende doos! Standaard moet het cijfer '12' bovenaan op deThis brand new version was distilled in 1997.

Colour: amber.

Nose: much more cask influence than in the Kilkerran, obviously, but I do not detect any offbeat or cloying notes in this baby, even if the notes of orange zest and liqueur are big. Orangeade as well. A rather unusual whisky actually, getting kind of oriental, with whiffs of incense and sandalwood, cedar wood (brand new humidor), leather… And even more oranges plus notes of metal after a while (old aluminium pan). Kind of the opposite of the Kilkerran in style despite the common orangey notes.

Mouth: goody-good, much more to my liking than the first 8yo. More polished, more classical, smoother but certainly not numb, with excellent spices on top of quite a lot of marmalade and ginger tonic. Speculoos. Gets then more peppery and gingery, with also the same kind of ‘pleasant soapiness’ that I found in the Kilkerran. Yup I’ll really have to find another word for that!

Finish: long, very orangey and gingery. Zests. Comments: the casks were ‘bigger’ than the Kilkerran’s whilst the spirit is probably lighter but balance is achieved in this Hazelburn. Same rating, but at same ages and cask treatment, Kilkerran may well crush Hazelburn in any tasting session – in my view of course. doos staan en niet de 3 stills. Klopt dit wel? Het betreft dus wel de versie van 2009 met code '09/335' en oplage 3900 flessen? Alvast bedankt voor een positieve bevestiging!
Sammy De Groote

Words of Whisky (84)