Nose: Luscious sherried dark fruits, brown sugar, dark honey, old oak, orange liqueur, strawberry jam, baked apple tart with spices (cinnamon and allspice), fresh raisin scones. With time it gains a lighter, sweeter quality (milk chocolate, butterscotch and caramel) and the aromas integrate while some light peppermint and anise aromas waft in. Very, very satisfying. Palate: An excellent arrival – exquisitely poised between sweet, earthy, deeply fruity and oaky. Christmas cake and Christmas pudding galore in the development. Butterscotch, chocolate, caramel, toffee, cherry and almond liqueurs and just a suggestion of salmiak (wow!). Lots of oak in the background but the tannins are superbly soft and the texture is luscious, opulent, chewy and chocolaty. Finish: Long. Dark fruit and chocolate float out of sight on a wave of sherry. Some busy spices in the aftertaste and a dry finale. After the last whisky I tasted (the slightly disappointing Craggenmore 1999/2020 special edition) I though I’d turn to a trusty old campaigner, and Tamdhu did not let me down. The official Distiller tasting notes nail it and there’s not much more I can add. Tasted from a 30ml sampler [bottle ordered]. "Very Good" : 87/100 (4.25 stars)