Colour: rubbed brass

On the nose: a gentle arrival of marzipan and caramel backed up with a dollop of spice. Insert the throwaway phrase of wood spice or delve a little deeper with a mortar of allspice, Star Annise, cinnamon and green peppercorn all nicely bashed? This smells old in a good way. Milk chocolate almost malted milk biscuits followed by toffee apples, hazelnut praline, wood chips and a resin varnish quality. It needs time in the glass to open up. Let’s try some water and more patience. In a word; better. Less wood dominance more of that orange citrus appeal more tangerine in its lightness with lemon peel and apricot.

In the mouth: a real blast of wood almost rye-like in places. It has a level playing punchy field of flavours without too much substance. A very drying finish. Rubbed brass on the arrival then rhubarb, red grapes, a decayed cinnamon bark and those orange crunch sweeties in a box of Quality Street. Water reveals a lightness and departure from the wood with pineapple and melon.

Conclusions

This North British release is a divisive grain. The cask hasn’t taken the helm suggesting it must have been a 3rd fill or even worse. Instead, we have a status quo formed over 3 decades. It’s an easier drinker and you can feel the age if not the harmony. Best with a splash of water to really showcase its wares. I have this suspicion that over the course of a bottle this could grow on me and for the benefit of water it goes up a point.

Malt-review.com - Jason