Style: Delicate and Complex
Nose:
Fragrant and silky aroma on the nose. Begins with intoxicating sweetness and winey cherry rum cake and milk chocolate. Plums followed by slight bitterness and tartness of plum skins. A delicate layer of leather and pine oil glossing over heather honey, which is misted over by spirit peppermint. Gentle peat slowly coming through with subtle malt.
Palate:
Flavours blossom beautifully on the palate. A dark cherry arc, milk chocolate fall, heather honey gold brimming with pure brilliance. A slick raspberry sour touch to give a balancing tone. Dignified waxy texture. Remaining honey leads the lightly peated malt across, tannins and spices glowing with a nice warmth.
Finish:
Chocolate and vanilla ice-cream drizzling over sweet honeycomb. Spearmint, peat smoke humming lightly. Wonderful.
Thoughts:
Wow! The quality of this dram has probably spelled every single good thing about old-school whisky. Not that I have tasted a lot of whiskies from previous eras, but for me the smoothness of flavours and elegance of texture can be hardly matched by “modern whisky”. It also feels the vat has used something even older than 25 years in it and the sherry influence is slightly stronger. Elements amalgamate in perfection, harmonious presentation with endless complexity. This is my jam, very very close to perfection, perhaps only one step short to my first ☆☆☆ rating.
☆☆ [Highly Recommended]
[50.7% • 2004 Bottled • Original Bottling • General Release • Replaced • **+]
-Esmond
WhiskNick 