Elijah Craig 12 Year

I have this side table in my house. I inherited from my grandmother and, in turn, she inherited it from her grandmother. It has a round top and turned legs with block feet. It’s made from oak. It has formed a fine red patina with its age and it has a particular smell. Once every month or so I rub the table down with some Millsap’s furniture polish and when I first opened my bottle of Elijah I found myself experiencing the same scent. Nose off of a just opened bottle was strong varnish and wood. First taste was neat and very brash. A strong astringency of char and oak. The finish was long, hot and unwelcome. Then I let it breathe for several minutes. That time opened up some butterscotch and toffee notes and after a splash of water the layers opened up even more. The nose is still oak and char but much mellower. The front is all butterscotch and toasted toffee and the finish is vanilla with just the hint of pumpkin pie spice. The finish is long on vanilla and the burn is in your gullet. It amazes me the difference just a bit of air makes and I wonder how long this bottle will continue to hold new experiences.