16 years old, distilled 11th June 2002, 56.6% abv, First Fill Ex-Pedro Ximenez Hogshead, 222 bottles, dram price D

The nose has big, heavy sherry notes - seville oranges, orange peel, caramel and a little walnut. The mouthfeel is thin with no cling. The body has more of that heavy orange, and adds in plums and cinnamon spices. Caramel, walnuts, and yet more sherry towards the finish. The finish has sherry galore - seville oranges, cinnamon, joined by hints of walnut.

Water brings out thin, very brief whorling. The nose gains more walnut and some toffee and caramel notes, but the sherry is still there and dominant. The body gains more caramel, with the cinnamon becoming a little diminished and the plum almost gone completely. The finish gains more cinnamon, in a strange shift in flavour delivery.

A superbly sherried dram, albeit a little potent in its powers.

One for autumn evenings.

Technical score: 4/5

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.