SMWS 39.97- "A symphony of sophistication"

23 years old, distilled 29th October 1990, 45.7% abv, refill ex-bourbon hogshead
Tobacco, watermelon, damson and toffee combine to make a complicated and sophisticated nose. The body has toasted oak, cinnamon, oak furniture, oranges(!) and a touch of coffee. The finish is toffee and oak.
After water, the nose has a little more fruit - nothing substantial, but hints of peach and passion fruit. The body has less toasted oak and more sweet vanilla notes - but still with the deeper oak furniture flavours present. Peach, toffee, wafer biscuits. The mouth-feel is very thin - I doubt this whisky takes much water. The finish is thin, sweet and fleeting; light toffee and vanilla ice-cream.
I'm not sure when or where I'd drink this. Maybe if I was pickernicking in the forest with Boo-Boo...
4/5