2011 South Star Speyside 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

South Star Spirits is a new company backed by four whisky enthusiasts who are also building a distillery. In the meantime, they're launching the brand with these indie expressions. Like the rest of the range, the Speyside expression was matured in ten first-fill hogsheads. It sports stewed fruits, hints of vanilla and bubblegum on the nose and a nicely rounded, fruity mouthfeel making for a pleasant if somewhat predictable Speysider. The finish is lightly spiced with cinnamon, white pepper and salted crackers. 2148 bottles available. 48% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Fruity, floral & citrusy lemon slice. Palate: Syrupy toffee with a touch of saltiness. Finish: Cinnamon on baked apples and pears.