9 years old, distilled 12th March 2009, 57.1% abv, First Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel, 240 bottles, dram price B

The nose has strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, vanilla and a hint of lime. The mouthfeel is thin with no cling. The body has vanilla, strawberries, lime and some cinnamon towards the end. The finish has vanilla, cinnamon and lime.

Water brings out thick, rapidly expanding whorling that dissipates before mottling. The nose gains more strawberries, some more lime, but loses the gooseberries. The body gains a little more vanilla and much more cinnamon. The finish gains more cinnamon.

Lovely without water, but going too spicy with it - this is absolutely my sort of dram, then not at all my sort of dram. Well worth trying to see which half you prefer.

One for spring evenings.

Technical score: 4/5

Personal preference: I’d have another dram.