Nose: Sherry and oak are the immediate impressions, not surprisingly. Orange peel, a little vanilla. Some light ginger-pepper spiciness. It's what I think of as a good standard sherried nose but not a sherry bomb. Palate: A light arrival - juicy and a little spicy with fruit and sherry flavours. It expands in the development with oak and malt coming to the foreground with quite a lot of gingery spice. A rich palate but not too sweet, it's dry and juicy which is a good combination. Clean and creamy malt. Some subtle warm spices (ground ginger, allspice) and a little nuttiness. It gathers strength and there is a warming rush in the late development. Finish: Surprisingly long, with sherry and oak being the final memories. Not a sherry-bomb, more like sherry-cordite. This is a crisp and clean whisky, with clearly defined aromas and flavours. It's not complex but delivers its straight-forward character in a precise and honest fashion. It reminds me a little of GlenDronach 12 year "Original", although that whisky has more up-front oakiness, but both are strongly cask-driven. This is also a little more dry, but both stand as great representative sherried whiskies. It's not my favourite style, but it is done well here with a classic fruity nose, malty cereal palate and woody finish. A dash of water broadens the nose and brings out a little hint of honey, but robs it of the punch it has when neat. It's a coin-toss whether it's an improvement or not. On the palate, water brings out some sweetness but doesn't contribute much more. I'd recommend taking this one neat. This is well crafted whisky and I agree with the official notes here that it would make an admirable aperitif, particularly on a chilly evening when the warming quality would be lovely. "Very Good" : 86/100 (4 stars)