Nose: Sweet honeyed malt, butterscotch toffee, roasted hazelnuts, autumn leaves, red berries, dark cherries, boiled Christmas pudding and marmalade. There’s a very mild hint of eucalyptus and oak cask in the background. Palate: Sweet arrival (but not overly sweet – just enough) mainly showing chewy rich malt and mocha coffee with a dusting of dry cocoa powder. In the development a more spicy side shows through with mild ginger, sweet cinnamon and nutmeg in evidence, but it always remains genteel, elegant and refined. The texture is very good, full-bodied and creamy. Towards the finish an excellent orange note becomes prominent. Finish: Long. Malt and preserved fruits leading into an extended aftertaste with echoes of the spices from the palate and a finale of sweet leathery tobacco and orange liqueur. A most enjoyable dram. The nose is delightfully fragrant and improves with every second of rest in the glass – do not hurry this dram. The palate is longer than you might initially think. It’s one of those profiles that is immediately good and then just keeps rolling along, gradually revealing more and more subtle flavours. There is a twinge of sulphur in the background but it acts as a spice and adds complexity and depth to everything else. You may not even notice it, but you won’t miss the subtle and lingering positive effect it has on the spice notes and its contribution to the length. Highly recommended. While scanning the online sellers today I saw a bottle of this and after checking my database I discovered I had a tasting sample from another company already on my shelves! I had not planned any tasting today but decided to give it a try. Result? I just ordered two bottles. Tasted from a 30 ml sample. “Excellent” : 88/100 (4.5 stars)