The nose starts with powdered sugar dusted strawberries, mango smoothie and dusty leather-bound books then dark chocolate covered toasted coconut, sweet pipe tobacco, hay and seaside rocky minerality followed by sautéed cherries, orange zest and grilled pineapple that transitions to light baking spices and polished antique mahogany furniture with low ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with powdered sugar dusted strawberries, mango smoothie and dusty leather-bound books then a moderate bitter and sour spice that quickly fades to dark chocolate covered espresso beans, freshly lit cigar, toasted marshmallow and seaside rocky minerality followed by sautéed cinnamon apples, orange blossom and apricot that transitions to light baking spices and polished antique mahogany furniture with low ethanol burn. The finish is long with sautéed cinnamon apples, sour cherries, mango, coconut cream pie, freshly lit pipe tobacco, seaside rocky minerality, hay, dusty leather-bound books and polished antique furniture. For 29 years old, this is an incredibly fruit forward dram with the red berries and creamy tropical fruits dominating with the old oak in the background along with light earthy spices, farmyard and seaside rocky minerality. It has a beautiful balance of sweet, earthy, salty and sour flavors that flow well together but suffers from a moderate bitter spice that throws the balance off ever so slightly and the 44.1% ABV providing an excellent mouthfeel with rich flavors, but likely could have used a few more percentage points to make the flavors bolder. At a price of $600+ per bottle, this is a fantastic whisky that I’m happy to have tried a sample of but not one that I’d be looking to buy a full bottle of as there are plenty of other options I like just as much or better for less.