8 years old, distilled 19th September 2011, 58.1% abv, Second Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel, 252 bottles, dram price B

The nose has hard pears, green apples, lychee and waxiness with a hint of flowering meadows. The mouthfeel is decent with no cling. The body has pine furniture, pears, umami, sea salt, cinnamon and hints of gooseberries. The finish has building cinnamon, pine furniture, sea salt and umami.

Water brings out thick, rapidly expanding whorling that settles quickly without much mottling. The nose gains fruit - red apples, peaches - but loses little. The body gains red apples and loses some of the cinnamon. The finish gains red apples and hard pears, and loses some of the cinnamon.

A curious dram. Well constructed and interesting, but that cinnamon appears without warning in the body - and needs water to tame it. The mouthfeel is lovely, and the flavours well delivered. I felt it also needed more time than I could give it during a preview tasting - I think it will do very well in a glass over time. Not bad at all, but if you have to add water...

One for spring afternoons.

Technical score: 3.5/5
Personal preference: I’d have another dram.

This whisky was provided by the SMWS in a preview session - thanks to them for that. Full editorial control has been retained in the tasting process.