54.59 - Wild flowers in an orchard

11 years old, distilled 21st April 2006, 59.1% abv, Second Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel, 168 bottles, dram price B

SMWS 54.59 - Wild flowers in an orchardThe nose has plenty of floral notes - honeysuckle? - and then apricot and hints of mango. The mouthfeel is thin with no cling. The body has apricot, then cinnamon and hints of clove. Those spicy notes dominate and close down my palate. The finish is cinnamon and mango.

Water brings out thin, rapidly spreading whorling that settles briefly as mottling. The nose gains more mango, and loses the honeysuckle. The body gains a chilli kick, followed by more cinnamon and some apricot, apple and mango. The finish gains baked apple.

On the edge of my spice tolerance, but I'd still drink it at the end of summer.

3/5