Proper old school sherry greets you
initially on the nose, very rich and opulent with plenty of dark berries and
fruits (it reminds me of the smell of a ‘proper’ sherry trifle that my elderly
next door neighbour used to make for my parents when I was a child: I’m sure
each one had near on a whole bottle of sherry in it!). Almonds and marzipan are
present too, alongside licorice, prunes, boot polish, nail polish remover, old
leather, heather, wet leaves, faint smoke, soft oak….the list goes on and on.
Incredibly complex nose that is really quite mindblowing. Wow! More soft, sweet
fruits on the palate with hints of fresh chillies, tannins and faint smoke
keeping things very interesting. A medium-long, sweet and spicy finish that is
a touch drying, but doesn’t cross the line into bitterness. I was seriously
impressed with this dram. I fear that it is relic of a bygone era as I haven’t
had anything with this kind of profile/complexity among more recent releases (although
a couple of single cask sherried Glendronach’s probably come closest). A great
honour to be able to try it before it disappears for ever!