This version noses quite dense and concentrated in comparison (thanks Captain Obvious @57%) to the regular 10. Starts with some honeyed barley, maple sirup and stewed fruit. The parma ham is present but not as strong, vegetable stock and umami. A light floral note as well. Again some sweet arrival and full body but the alcohol is a little strong to detect anything else. Let’s add some water. A lot lighter now with Vanilla, Fudge, Mirabelles accompanied by their flowers. Honey on barley toast (seriously!!!), Sunflower oil, asparagus stock this time and just a tiny bit of smoke left. The ham went back to Italy it seems… Almost gooey texture now (ahaa thats what they call waxy!!!), sweet, some more oak from the cask. Medium long finnish with my beloved taste of dunnage warehouse (is it just me that loves this?) but hardly any smoke this time. Less complex than the regular 10 year old. I prefer that one in most aspects.

Nose:
Some sulfur. Fermented (sauerkraut?),
overripe blackberries, fire from broken dry branches

Mouth:
extremely well integrated sherry, a fantastic balance of different notes, which are difficult for me to decipher.

Departure:
tingling infusion with old wooden floorboards and pepper - tart!

Conclusion: very nice, stronger, but not necessarily better than the 10yo with 43%

(2017)

21/22/22/21 86

A bold speysider
Right in your face
Candy, spices and melons, grain and lemon, a fistful of flowers and a handful of gingerbread topped with hot fudge. Gentle smoke as it is, oak vanilla and a long lingering finish