37.104 - Admiring art from an old leather armchair

30 years old, distilled 26th May 1987, 55.9% abv, First Fill Ex-Pedro Ximenez Hogshead, 166 bottles, dram price H

SMWS 37.104 - Admiring art from an old leather armchairThe nose has old worn leather, hint of demerara sugar and a hint of baked apples. The mouthfeel is decent, with a little cling. The body has pears, apples, old leather and old oak furniture. The finish starts with stewed apples, then moves towards old leather as it dries and finally ends with old oak furniture.

Water brings out thin, compact whorling that settles into brief mottling. The nose gains apricot, mango and pears - the leather is now on the back seat. (Pun, I assure you, utterly intended.) The body gains apricot and loses some of the old oak furniture. The finish gains a little apricot, but still dries to that old oak.

A superbly aged whisky. The balance is great, and you want to use this whilst celebrating. If a fireside and some old leather furniture can be at that celebration too, so much the better...

Technical score: 5/5

Personal preference: I'd like a bottle.