let’s begin
Part of the Douglas Laing family, Timorous Beastie is a blended malt that is well loved by fans of the brand.
It is called after a Robert Burns poem called “To a Mouse” and features an adorable image of such a mouse on the bottle.
This expression of Timourous Beastie has a few more years on it compared to the original and is made entirely of Highland Whiskies.
It opens with a nose of ripe and juicy orchard fruits and a lovely honeyed note. Peaches, apricots and pears come out, all drizzled in a thick honey.
This is a refreshing dram right from the start and the fruits really help to set it off. The honey is sweet and rich, with a sugary warmth to it. It sits just on top of the fruits and gives them a lovely gentleness.
On the palate the fruits become warmer and juicier, with lots of zest and life to them.
They are wrapped in cereals, with barley and oats really coming through. The barley is especially good, with lots of depth to it.
The cereal tones provide a nice backdrop for the tangy fruits to bounce off, and the honey only serves to enhance it all.
It is thick and smooth, lending an easy going and mellow mouth feel.
There is also a lovely cinnamon and clove warmth to this dram. The spices hit you at the back of the throat and go hand in hand with the honey in particular.
Timorous Beastie certainly does not have a timorous end and finishes with a long, spicy linger and lots more barley.