Spey River-   Like many people, I am a dog lover, and yes this is a whisky review.  Now we all know mixed breeds can be the most loyal and smartest beasts….but not always. Our subject malt is a mixed breed, 2 perfectly fine things converged here, Speyside single malt and sherry barrel aging.  The nose is faint with slightly sweet cake notes and the color is a rich irish setter red.  The caramel is thick and tasty but little else is present in terms of complexity.  There is a splash of generic fruit in the taste and maybe some lingering spice.  The finish is fleeting and at 80 proof it is a a bit wimpy.  I tried the dram with a few drops of water and it just faded away.   The lack of real character in the label is a harbinger of terminal blandness …….When breeders , or distillers, mix the gene pool for profit not quality the hybrid is kinda like a labradoodle , neither the labradors strength and loyalty, nor the poodles intelligence shine through.  This single malt disappoints on most scales, you can drink it , but unlike your pooch, it won’t put a smile on your face.  It barks a weak 6 on the snob-o-meter.