NOSE A mellow nose, with quite some prickle. Deeply wooded, the aroma is complex, with fruity top notes of ripe pear, Ogen melon, and green banana, then soft leather notes beneath suggest kid gloves, on a faint base of sanded hardwood. In part coming from maturation in new, fresh-charred American Oak, the aromas are sweeter than in regular expressions, yet with savory undertones. A little water softens the aroma and confirms its Speyside nature.

PALATE At natural strength, again the influence of the long years in wood is felt. The texture is creamy-smooth, while the taste is rich and sweet, though not as sweet as the nose may suggest. That richness is soon delightfully balanced by a drying and savoury mid-palate. A dash of water (recommended) makes the taste even more delicious without altering the primary elements; it is smoother now, the warmth well-controlled.

FINISH Long, velvet-smooth, dry and chilli-spiced. With water, smoother and longer; sweet-spicy, still with a lingering and now more mellow chilli pepper aftertaste.