World Whiskies Awards 2009
World's Best Single Malt Whisky

An irresistible mix of dark grungey smoke and light sweet fruit. If you could barbecue a tin of Del Monte exotic fruits this is what it would taste like. Stunning Dominic Roskrow

Cedar, forest floor. French toast accompanied by very tannic black tea. Reminds me of amber resin Liza Weisstuch

The mouth bathes in a rich, chocolaty sweetness, then puckers up with the very drying tannic oak. A drop of water turns it into something delightful ~ juicy and nicely tingling with a long finish Robin Laing

Big, fruity nose, dried fruits, dried herbs; waxy mouthfeel, sweet taste, crystalline sugar; mouth-cooling. A cracker! Charles MacLean

Creamy, very peppery with background smokiness. Warming with harmonious balance of sweet fruit, malt, pepper and cream. Sublime whisky Davin de Kergommeaux

Like an old flowery perfume, some honey sweetness; nice cedarwood notes, good aftershock of some decent smoke. Very nice dram Bernhard Schafer

Full body high octane powerhouse. Oily mouth coating flavour of salt and nuts, iodine leading into minty freshness LeNell

Heather and sea air on the nose. Smoky, peaty top notes. Underlying elements of mint, leather, vanilla William Dowd

Sun heated pebbles. A marine and spicy breeze. Hints of soot, Oysters with a dash of Tabasco. Powerful, uncompromising, wild. Superb Martine Nouet

Arthur Motley

Nose

Quince jelly, cereal husk, wine gums and papaya. Warm apple turnover with almonds on top. A smear of engine oil.

Palate

Sherry, unripe apples, mixed spice and oak.

Finish

A chewed pencil, flaking paint and all.

Comment

A touch astringent for my tastes, but respectable. Ambassador, surely you should be really spoiling us?

Owen Barstow

Nose

Big and smooth. Linseed oil with a creamy vanilla toffee background. Pears.

Palate

Sweet and oily, then tannic and woody. Charred. Sun dried fruits. Attains balance and elegance with water. Tropical fruit characteristics develop.

Finish

Oily, yet astringent. Fruity.

Comment

Don't be tempted to take it neat, it's way too big and unbalanced. Senescent?