Taster

Nose: Rich and delicious notes of Maraschino cherry, rum baba and plum sauce. With water lots of Danish pastry sprinkled with cinnamon.

Palate: A lovely balance of sweetness like jam tart and smouldering camphor wood. Reassuringly old fashioned. Warm chamois leather and ski wax transported me to a ski chalet.

Finish: Heavy and rich.

Comment: A superbly structured example which demonstrates how complex a blended whisky can be.

Score: 8.5

Taster

Nose: Rich, intense, deep oak. Polished oak, antiques shop. Cedar wood. Cloved orange. Candied orange. Dried apples.

Palate: Crisp with a raw silk feel. Oak is superbly integrated. Marmalade. Some crème brûlée in the back. A touch of marzipan. Candied ginger. Gingerbread.

Finish: Lingering, warm and elegant with a note of dark chocolate.

Comment: A complex, stylish dram combining strength and delicacy. Age is there but with nerve. Perfect maturation. Please, add no water.

Score: 9