17 years old, distilled 11th October 2000, 58.8% abv, First Fill Ex-Oloroso Hogshead, 240 bottles, dram price D

The nose has a wonderful balance of parma violets, fruit salad chew sweets, cherry cake and a hint of honeysuckle. The mouthfeel is decent - smooth yet unctuous, with a little cling. The body has sultanas, raisins, fruit salad chews and hints of brioche and toffee. The finish is toffee and sultanas with a little violet. Wow!

Water brings out thin, rapidly expanding whorling that settles quickly into brief mottling. The nose gains rose water. The body gains more of the fruit salad chews and loses a little sultana. There's also more toffee and some sweet tobacco notes. The finish gains sweet tobacco.

This is a superb dram, brilliantly balanced. One for firesides, for sunsets, for bright dawns, for rainy days... basically, I'm always going to be able to find an excuse to crowbar this dram into my life.

4.5/5