Count Dracula is a man of surprise. When it comes to is boozing habits, most people will probably take him for the red wine-sipping type. But apparently he also has a soft spot for whisky and rum. Luckily for him (and us), this year’s “Happy Halloween” edition of the fan-favorite A Dream Of Scotland range from Brühler Whiskyhaus provides a taste of both! To celebrate the scariest night of the year accordingly, the shop’s owner Marco Bonn has just released a single cask Caol Ila 11yo finished in a Panama rum cask! As all ADOS bottlings, this one was sold out in just a few hours. So if you did not grab it straight away, you will probably have to search a little in order to still find a bottle. But even if you cannot get hold of it anymore, maybe this review inspires you to keep a closer eye on upcoming releases under the A Dream Of Scotland banner. Anyway, back to The Count. This whisky, which sports an loveable illustration of the blood-thirsty Transylvanian prince on the label, has many great qualities. Yet, one sticks out among all: The spirit is savory as hell! Sweet and smooth, it goes down the throat like warm blood … erm … liquid honey. I will certainly have more than just a single dram of it this evening. If you own a bottle, too: Open it and chime in! And if you don’t: Enjoy another fine drop tonight. One way or another: Happy Halloween, my fiendish friends!

by Tobi

Eye: Pale gold like a much-used chalice from Dracula’s cupboard.
Nose: From the goblet in the vampire’s hand evaporate sweet, smoky and slightly sourish fumes. Candy apples and honey cake. Chimney soot and dry tobacco. Orange peel and grapefruit slices. There is also some molten wax and a couple of wind-beaten harbor planks.
Palate: The Prince of Darkness is a cunning fellow. He has instilled in this whisky an alluring sweetness that is really mouth-watering. It appears in the form of thick caramel sauce, raisin-stuffed muffins and sweetened apple juice. Besides this sweetness, the whisky also provides a variety of exotic fruits like kumquats and kiwis. Plus popcorn and banana milk. The Islay heritage is quite apparent on the palate: It shows itself in the form of puffy, fumy smoke that gets fuller and darker with time! As for the mouthfeel, I would place it more on the light side. And the drinkability? Let’s put it like this: I am pretty positive that I could empty this bottle quicker than The Count could dry the veins of his next victim.
Finish: While he bids his farewells, the vampire beclouds our senses with a pleasing interplay of intense, sweet flavors: yellow fruits, brown sugar, warm pastry, burnt raisins and perfumed pipe smoke. The blood-sucking creature is not in a hurry. It takes him a good amount of time to disappear. But once he is gone, he won’t stay away for long. Cause as soon as we take another sip of this highly addictive dram, Drac’s back!

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Region: Scotland (Islay)
Age: 11 years old
Alc. volume: 54.9 per cent
Bottle size: 0.7 litres
# of bottles: 429
Price range: 80.00 Euro
More info: https://www.whiskyhaus.de/ (Website) ; http://www.facebook.com/whiskyhaus/ (Social Media)

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