Nose - honey, vanilla yogurt, pear, strawberry, cereal grain, lemon zest, oat, apple sauce, green peppercorn, cinnamon, sweet oak, white wine, grape, hay, nectarine, sweet floral and bitter herbal notes, mild to moderate ethanol burn. Taste - lemon, strawberry, orange zest, honey, pear, salted caramel, vanilla bean, tart apple, cinnamon, ginger, floral and herbal notes, white and chili pepper, hay, coconut, barrel spice, fruit blossom, cereal grain, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with citrus zest, assorted floral and herbal, vanilla, and mildly tannic oak flavors. What a beautiful example of long, gentle Speyside aging. There’s a subtlety that belies its age, but there’s also a depth and richness of flavor that you don’t find in young whiskies as well. The nose is a veritable fruit basket of aromas, sweet and tart with a satisfying honey and vanilla component that complements the fruitiness nicely. It’s a bit like the smell of mixing vanilla yogurt with oats and honey and an entire refrigerator drawer’s worth of fruits. Understatedly delicious and inviting. The palate follows suit, with deeply tart fresh fruit dominating the arrival. Next come the gentler floral notes which give way to some cinnamon, dry herbs and spices, and soft, yet tingly pepper. The finish continues with these notes but also brings some tannic wood, not unpleasant but just enough to immediately turn your mind to the next sip. The tart, slightly salty, electrolytic remembrance of the palate ignites a mouth watering, Pavlovian response that is quite remarkable. This dram seems to continuously quench and rekindle your thirst for it, until the glass is empty and you’re left with but a memory of the encounter. Overall, this is delicious. There is a non-trivial amount of maltiness that I feel detracts from the experience and holds this back from true greatness, however it certainly decimates all other Speysides I’ve tried and ignites my interest in a region I don’t often consider all that exciting. It’s also my first real taste from an independent bottling, which is a category I look forward to exploring more in the future. Many thanks to @ContemplativeFox for providing the sample and allowing me to have this wonderful experience.