In recent years, many independent bottlers are rediscovering the noble art of blending: one may say that it’s easy to select a good single cask, you smell it, like it, bottle it, and you’re done. Mixing different barrels together can be an hard job, instead: you need to find balance between the ingredients, and above all, as we discovered hosting some tastings dedicated to blending thanks to Chivas, the blend gives unexpected results – each whisky changes with no respect to your expectations. Luckily this isn’t our job, so let’s go back to the right side of the bar and taste Black Bull “Kyloe”, a blended whisky by Duncan Taylor. This name is a bit like calling a blended whisky Black “Great Dane Chihuahua”, since Kyloe is the gaelic for the Highland hairy cow. No more chitchat because we are exaggerating.
N: fresh, fragrant, with lots of lemon, but also with more complex and mineral notes, even with hints of chalk. It may tend towards a simple and youthful profile, but it has something quite intriguing, vaguely fruity and with hints of cereal (pudding). Pear and flowers.
P: it starts again on abundant notes of citrus, together with sweet tones, which makes us say: cedar! The 50% alcohol content is really well integrated. Very sugary, with a classic pear in evidence! Anyway it does not have much to offer, apart from hints of cereal and butter sandwich.
F: medium-short, with sprinkles of sweetened lemonade and pear.
Ok, this is what it is, a fair young blended, shy as only an Highland hairy cow can be: 80/100. Without infamy nor praise, we judge it pleasant indeed, but if we have to make a prediction, it won’t remain impressed in our minds for too long.
Recommended soundtrack: Danit Treubig – Guacamayo.
