“To be or not to be?” – In case of “Dramlet: the Dark Prince of Denmark!” there is but one reply to the great playwright William Shakespeare’s existential question. And that is “To be!” on all levels. To be the first Danish whisky in the portfolio of the renowned Scotch Malt Whisky Society. To be the debuting indie bottling from the petite Fary Lochan distillery. To be the most awesomely named spirit I came across all year. To be a sherry bomb of grant proportions. To be, to be, to be…
My list of praise for this very special whisky is long; and my expectations for it were high. Luckily, “Dramlet” not only fulfilled, but far surpassed them. As soon as I had popped the cork, I was under his spell. And when the richly sherried liquid hit my palate, the dark prince’s allure got even stronger! “Dramlet” is one of the most fascinating whiskies I drank this year. Unfortunately for those who only learned about it now, all 297 bottles sold out within minutes. However, if the follow-up releases reside anywhere near “The Dark Prince of Denmark!” in regard to their quality, the question “To buy or not to buy” is easily answered for future SMWS bottlings from that lovely Jutland unit. The SMWS and Fary Lochan did a wonderful job of introducing the number 141 to The Society’s distillery roster – and I have a feeling that this epic tale o’ Nordic whisky has only just begun!

by Tobi

Eye: The dark prince’s liquid crown shimmers in a beautiful orange-brown hue.
Nose: From the heir apparent’s chamber emerges the most alluring scent. It is predominantly sweet, but also floral and spicy. Juicy plums go first, followed by thick strawberry jam, squashed orange slices and cherry-flavored lollipops. Dusty bureau wood, vintage corduroy cushions and flowery perfume spray make the whisky seem a lot older than it is. Grated ginger and fine curcuma powder add further complexity. I could emerge in the 141.1’s scent for hours and hours on end.
Palate: The moment of truth: Is “Dramlet” a worthy contender to the throne? Oh yes, he certainly is! The Shakespearean hero becharms the tongue as much as he becharms the nose. He is vigorous, voluminous, keen and complex. Whereas his bouquet was oozing with juice and sweetness, his palate is more dry and dark. It has red and purple wine gums, fruity rosebuds, luscious truffle chocolate, creamy coconut milk and intense red fruits. Also dried apricots and peaches with white pepper scattered over them. Another noticeable flavor is that of sticky yeast dough. With time, the whisky becomes sweeter – as if Dramlet’s valet would spread nougat creme on the yeast dough.
Finish: Oh, dark prince of Denmark! I gladly pledge allegiance to thee! The epilogue to this masterpiece goes on for a good while. It has soft chocolate, rich wood, wild honey and half-sweet brambles. When all the other actors have stepped aside, a puddle of exquisite sherry and an ounce of fine cocoa powder still remain on the darkened stage.

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Region: Denmark
Age: 6 years
Alc. volume: 61.9 per cent
Cask type: 1st fill ex-oloroso hogshead
Code: 141.1
# of bottles: 297
Bottle size: 0.7 litres
Price range: ~175.00 Euro
More info: https://farylochan.dk/ (Distillery) ; https://www.thecaskhound.de/ (Bottler)

*** I bought the bottle as a regular customer. ***