12 years old, distilled 1st November 2001, 57.8% abv, first fill ex-bourbon barrel, 228 bottles

The nose is closed at first - it takes a little while to open up. Hints of peach and lavender. The body has a smooth, full mouthfeel - and delivers a fruit punch with apple, tangerines, peach, pear, and fruits of the forest. With time, some pineapple also appears. The finish is leather and lavender.

The more it sits, the fruitier it gets, with the tangerines and apples moving into the nose.

After water - which provides thick, long lasting whorling (some of the nicest I've seen in a while!) - the nose is less fruity. A mustiness appears, like old books, alongside a malt note. The body has more toffee and peanut brittle notes, with much of the fruitiness lost below those flavours. The finish is now short and more tannic - leather and the malted centres of maltesers (but no chocolate).

After sitting, some of the lavender begins to return.

A very nice dram which I found autumnal - one for an autumn hike in a hipflask, perhaps?

3.5/5