Oban Distillers Edition

My brother chose this for me for a gift for his wedding. That’s what kind of a person he is. And he also did his research! This one was distilled in 2004, bottled in 2018. The coppery color is enticing, though I wonder if it’s artificial. The nose is delightful. Citrus leaves, cinnamon, glazed peaches, vanilla, and a complicated earthiness. The palate is unique. The taste of fruitcake accompanies the peach and cinnamon notes. Yet it is also meaty, sweet and mouthwatering like capicola. All of the elements one could hope for in a good meal show up here. But the finish — the finish! — is magnificent. It is drying and spicy and warms all the way to the chest. A salty burn rises up the nasal passage and fades to a sweet aftertaste. A wonderful and unexpected gift, a wonderful and unexpected single malt.

Black cherry and chocolate, herbs and eucalyptus, hay and tobacco, wispy smoke