After reviewing their Sovereign expression I’m eager to continue up the line to see how these different finishing casks compare. I don’t know much about Sauternes but I doubt that will get in the way of my enjoyment. The nose takes you on a bit of a trip, initially there is lots of fruit and honey, then it disappears and I’m transported to the malting floor of the distillery... rich earthy cereal notes aplenty. But then back up the roller coaster you go, into more citrus mixed with some peppery spice. It very much reminds me of Glenmorangie 10. The first sip coats your palate in a syrupy sweetness, which doesn’t sound good as I type it but it is quite pleasant. This layer gives the zingy peppery notes something to cling to as they wake up the sides of the tongue while everywhere else is engulfed in a rich umami dominated by malted grain. Finish goes back to the tried and true pepper notes, which aren’t necessarily spicy but demand you pay attention. This is a not a very complex dram, in fact somewhat simple, but what’s there is delicious and interesting enough to want to keep going for another sip. I have the 228 and 500 to try next and if this is the improvement on the Sovereign I’m in for a treat this week.