Not all Special Release expressions are created equal, ans while some are outstanding, some are less intriguing at least for me, which is exactly the case with his Auchroisk. Auchroisk (if you’re wondering it’s pronounced ar–thrusk) is also a new-ish distillery, founded 1974, and not featuring often on the Special Releases. OBs are also very scarce, with the Flora & Fauna 10 as the only OB that comes to mind..
Auchroisk 25 Year Old 1990 (Special Release 2016) , 51.2% , £233 
Nose : Sour entry with green vegetal notes, granny Smith apples,lemongrass and citrus notes,hints of vanilla,Clove and star anise, as well as wine gums. I’m not overly fond of the profile, I must admit…
Palate : white pepper, vanilla and more anise, vegetal and hints of Crème de menthe, semi sweet wood, getting bitter, a musty feeling to it. More pepper
Finish : bitter call chocolate, wood, anise and rum soaked cherries,soft spices.
Conclusion: Don’t get me wrong – this is not a bad whisky, but this is not quite a whisky profile I enjoy. It’s too green, the wood influence is quite faint for a 25 year old whisky, and the ‘green’ light aromas and flavors are really underwhelming. Not my cup of tea, not even one bit. Others might enjoy it more, but this is certainly not something I can recommend.