Interesting notes of rye bread and a damp dunnage warehouse, as well as cocoa powder, cappuccino, apricots and marasquin cherries. The spices work really well with the sweeter layers of this dram.

The interplay between the spices and the sweeter flavours here work really well, again. This is surprisingly reminiscent of the Zuidam 100 Rye whisky. Not as rye-esque of course, but certainly shows similarities. Lots of spices. Think nutmeg, cloves and black pepper. There's dark notes of chocolate too, accompanied by cherries and apricot jam.

All of the above. Long.

This is a very unique whisky, of which I'm not sure everyone will appreciate it as much as I do. I guess you'll have to find out for yourself. I think this is expertly blended, high-end liquid.

The nose starts rather dry, but slowly becomes sweeter. First some cold coffee and freshly polished leather, then some cocoa with coconut, pipe tobacco and some triplex planks. Loads of nutmeg. It evolves toward fruit tea and waffles with maple syrup. The Millstone is clearly dominant. Quite a nice nose.

It goes the extra mile on the palate: piquant on nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper and very dark and sweet on demerara sugar, stewed rhubarb, cherries and caramel. It even sports an umami side as if from roast beef drenched in gravy. Goes from dry to creamy and back again. The wood is fairly loud and offers quite the bitter note towards the end, without becoming disturbing.

The finish is fairly long and sufficiently creamy to prevent me from reaching for a glass of water. It starts quite sweet on a dark marmalade – with a surge of rum raisins! – but ends on the woodspices.

Big dram, this Winter Queen, which will most likely be very popular in Holland because of the Millstone in the mix – which is the most prominent here anyway. Thank you for the sample, Anthony.

Iets van gemaaid gras, sinaasappelschillen met sherrytonen. Een mooie zoete fruitige lucht. Ik vind het zijn geld waard.  

Rood fruit, een heerlijke sherry explosie, iets van kersen of karamel-achtigs. Iig iets zoets naast de sherry. Naar mate ik meer slokken neem, lijkt er iets van chocolade naar boven te komen.

Rood fruit en/of kersen, sinaasappelen en een lang aanhoudende sherrytoon.  

Ik vind deze dram erg in balans en complex. Vol en rond.