31 years old, distilled 15th June 1988, 53.4% abv, Second Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel, 72 bottles, dram price F

The nose has soft buttery notes, fresh oak, pears and lychee with hints of peaches ginger. The mouthfeel is thin with no cling. The body has green apple, pears, peaches, bananas, honey, buttered croissants, linseed oil and ginger. (Not hot though.) The finish has pears, peaches and ginger, which builds as it dries.

Water brings out thin, rapidly expanding and very brief mottling that settles quickly into brief mottling. The nose gains more oak in the form of old furniture, and the fruit moves into the background. The body gains oak and more honey, and loses nothing. The finish gains some old oak furniture and loses a little of the ginger.

Almost too hot for me, but the nose is superb and the palate delivers too. The balance is great, the flavours are complementary, and the only criticism I have is the slight heat the builds after repeated sips. Which, for that nose, I am willing to tolerate. A superb dram.

One for summer mornings.

Technical score: 4.5/5

Personal preference: I’d like more than one bottle.

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.