80.11 - Méthode ancestrale

11 years old, distilled 17th March 2008, 58.7% abv, Refill Ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 297 bottles, dram price B

SMWS 80.11 - Méthode ancestraleThe nose has plums, apricots and melons. The mouthfeel is thin with no cling. The body has pear, melon, apricot and hints of herb gardens. The finish has pear, melon and a hint of thyme.

Water brings out thin, rapidly expanding whorling that doesn’t get time to mottle. The nose gains more plum, herbal hints and loses the melons. The body gains plums and more pears, and loses the apricot and melon. There’s now a cinnamon heat towards the finish. The finish gains cinnamon and more pear.

This dram is a little spiritous and light - fruity and interesting, but adding water introduced cinnamon that I wasn’t going to be a fan of.

One for spring afternoons in a hip flask.

Technical score: 3/5

Personal preference: Just the one dram, thanks.

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.