14 years old, distilled 16th March 2000, 64.4% abv, refill ex-bourbon hogshead, 242 bottles

Smoked pork sausages with herbal notes and a touch of vanilla on the nose. Perhaps even a hint of ozone? The mouth-feel is thin and astringent, more smoke with some lemon juice. The finish is just smoke. I think this whisky needs water!

Thin whorling with water, and the nose now has less meat and more cream soda. The body brings back the meaty sausage note, but without the herbs. Old cigar boxes and brown sauce notes are also evident, but the finish has lemon zesty alongside the crisp bonfire smoke.
I add water again.

The herbal note returns to the nose - sage? The mouth-feel is smoother and the whisky expands more in the mouth. The body has lemon as well as sausages and cigar boxes, and hints of menthol. The finish is bigger, with vanilla joining the lemon and smoke.

An astringent dram, but a good candidate for a dram when you get back indoors on a cold winter's day...

4/5