Diageo really let me down when they decided to make the 2019 edition of their 12-year cask strength release a European exclusive. I’m somewhat of a completionist, and I’ve had and loved each release from 2016-2019. Which brings me to this 2020 release. My streak has been snapped at 3. So now this 2020 vintage serves as the first installment in what is hopefully a much longer run with this line. Nose: Sea salt, seaweed, and brine. Campfire smoke and ash. Moss and peat. Band-aid. Grapefruit and lemon. Almond and chestnut. Custard and nougat sweetness. Blueberry as well. Cinnamon heat. Red pepper and black bean chili. Oak. It’s all over the place, as one would expect of any great Islay nose. Palate: Sea salt, seaweed, brine, and campfire smoke. Band-aid. Grapefruit and lemon. Red pepper and sun-dried tomato. Black bean and red pepper chili. Glazed ham and ribeye steak. Chestnut and almond. Peanut butter. Blueberry. Milk chocolate with some vanilla cake. Custard and nougat as well. White pepper and oak. Delicious. Finish: Sea salt, seaweed, and brine. Campfire smoke. Band-aid. Cilantro. Grapefruit. Chestnut and almond. Black bean, red pepper chili. Black pepper, cinnamon, and oak. Long as they make a finish—as one would expect of a 56.4% whisky. New streak, same story. 2020 delivers in full—from start to finish. I’m happy to see that the flashy packaging hasn’t distracted from the quality of the product. And while I can’t say I’ve had them all—which is fine, because they made this stuff before 2016–I can say without reservation that this expression can carry the mantle of one of, if not the greatest annual release in all of whisky. 5/5.