11 years old, distilled 7th August 2003, 62.8% abv, first fill ex-bourbon barrel, 211 bottles

The nose is quite closed at first - fennel, oak tree bark, old dusty paper. Repeated nosing also brings hints of lemon and banana. The mouthfeel is thin with no cling. The body is very spirity, with notes of lemon and ginger, then a hint of tablet. The finish is tablet and fennel, with a hint of lemon.

Water brings out tightly packed but rapidly expanding whorling that settles into short-lived mottling. The nose now gains hints of lightly toasted bread and has lost the fennel. The body has more lemon, and hints of icing sugar and aniseed. The finish has also lost the fennel.

This is a good dram, but quite closed and therefore something of a lighter "session dram", which at this strength is dangerous! I believe it may have more to give, so put a watchglass over it and leave it to sit for a while. There's a little increase in herbal notes, and the body gains some pear, but I'm not convinced to give it any longer - I'm content to know it won't get worse with time!

A light "session dram".

3/5