10 years old, distilled 30th October 2008, 59.5% abv, First Fill Ex-Pedro Ximinez Hogshead, 265 bottles, dram price B

The nose has dried apricots, red apples and sultanas and a hint of caramel. The mouthfeel is thin with no cling. The body has sultanas, dried apricots, and hints of leather and caramel. The finish has sultanas, raisins and cinnamon.

Water brings out thin, rapidly expanding whorling that settles quickly into lingering mottling. The nose gains leather, more caramel and a little oak, and loses the red apples and dried apricots. The body gains raisins, more sultanas and some pineapple and kiwi fruit. The finish gains pineapple and kiwi fruit, and loses the cinnamon and some of the raisins.

A superb sherrying, which gets brighter and sweeter after water.

One for autumn afternoons.

Technical score: 4.5/5

Personal preference: I’d like a 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.