Ah, Mannochmore. That discreetly hidden gem of Elgin... At least at the SMWS it is. An underrated distillery that we always seem to get the cream of the casks from...

13 years old, distilled 2nd April 2001, 60.7% abv, first-fill ex-bourbon barrel, 222 bottles

A spritely, pine filled nose with touches of lemon and vinegar also present. The body is sweet and astringent (a thin and fierce mouth-feel), giving peanut brittle and lemon sherbet, heading towards nougat at the finish. There's also a mustiness in the background, like old books. The finish is sharp and lingering, providing more light lemon and some vanilla ice-cream.

After water (which provides whorling so tight it looks like mottling in the water, and vanishes very quickly), the nose has more vanilla ice-cream than pine, and a hint of peanuts. The body is less sherbet and more nougat. The finish isn't much changed.

A very pleasant, if slightly violent, dram.

3.5/5