20 years old, distilled 26th November 1996, 51.9% abv, Virgin Oak Hogshead, 293 bottles, dram price F

The nose has germoline and smokey bacon crisps, with a hint of vanilla in the background. The mouthfeel is decent, smooth but little cling. The body has toffee chews, fennel and then that smoke rolls in and it's back to germoline and soft smoke, with hints of maple smoked bacon. The finish is sweet vanilla and then a hit of smoke, with the germoline now in the background.

Water brings out thin, rapidly expanding whorling that settles quickly into lingering mottling. The nose now gains toffee and a hint of violets, and has less of the smokey bacon but still plenty of smoke. The body has gained more vanilla and hints of bubblegum, but the smoke is still dominant. The finish gains more sweet vanilla.

A lovely dram for autumnal evenings by the fire.

4/5