15 years old, distilled 27th June 2003, 58.6% abv, First Fill Ex-Moscatel Hogshead, 245 bottles, dram price C

The nose has raisins, sultanas, brown sugar, rough leather and hints of polished old oak furniture. The mouthfeel is thin with no cling. The body has sultanas, brown sugar, refreshers sweets, burnt toffee, and then polished old oak furniture and hints of apricots and tobacco leaves. The finish has sultanas, burnt toffee and tobacco leaves with old oak furniture.

Water brings out thin, rapidly expanding whorling that dissipates before it has a chance to mottle. The nose gains toffee and hints of apricot, whilst losing the old oak furniture. The body gains more fruit - apricot, oranges, cherries and raspberries - and loses some of the old oak furniture. The finish has a similar effect - sweeter, more citrusy, with the tobacco leaves moving into the background.

This delivers a lot of flavours in short time - but many of the as it dries on the palate. It’s the kind of experience that whisky excels at, and this whisky excels at too.

One for after dinner.

Technical score: 5/5

Personal preference: I’d like a bottle.