Immediately after pouring and panning, tough and oily streaks have formed on the glass wall. Even from a distance, a sweet, fruity and slightly sprightly aroma is perceptible. With the first nosing the fruitiness and sweetness of the North British literally explode in the nose, overripe fruits powerfully exude their wonderful aroma. Sweet bananas and old, but very fruity orange mix together to a fruit dream. Dark caramel and sweet vanilla pods are added, subtle roasted flavors are covered with fruity coconut flakes. The caramel liquefies slowly and blends with creamy mixed chocolate to sweet toffee. The coconut flavor is noticeably more intense, a subtle spicy note is distributed between the sweet coconut flavor which is now more towards the rum. During the nosing I look at the oily drops which run back into the glass in slow motion. Until now, everything is right with this great malt, let's see what the first sip shows me ...

A spicy wood note dominates the first impression. Old and dried fruits flow velvety over the tongue, slowly setting in a wooden sharpness. The wood sharpness is significantly more intense and slowly turns into salty and peppery pungency with a subtle hint of sulfur. The second sip looks fruity and more mature, an intense spice mixture rises from the recurring sharpness. Slowly, the fruit notes become sour and tart, old wooden elements rest in the mouth while slowly a wooden sharpness climbs up the palate and spreads its extremely old woody aroma there. Cereal notes flash here and there, old and dried fruits alternate with the intense spicy notes. Powerful and warming, the taste goes slowly into the finish.

Warming begins the departure. The indefinable spice note has spread in the meantime in the entire palate and now dominates the finish. Again and again come old wood tones and dried fruit notes to advantage. Powerfully, the finish exudes its chubby warmth while the intense wood and spice aromas give the impression that they never want to die away. After a perceived eternity, the tasty flavors then come off and an old walnut note emerges.

Caramel, blood orange, vanilla, gold kiwi, galia melon and a still fresh and slightly spicy oakiness. Perhaps even a perfumy whiff.

Blood orange, caramel, vanilla, apricot and spice. Superb balance of sweetness, spiciness (still not overaged though) and that slightly sourish fruity note. Water adds a waxy touch, which I like a lot.

Not typically grainish at all. Cocoa, toffee and cherry.

I give it a few minutes, because some glue is coming. After that this note is gone. It comes orange blossom honey. Then it gets really fruity. Apricot jam. Physalis. Even tropical fruits come through. Pineapple. Lychee. Coconut. The oak brings a nice spicy counterpoint.

In the mouth, the oak tree is in charge now. That comes unexpectedly. Not so exuberant fruitiness, as in the nose. Dry sawdust. Tree bark. Furniture polish. Then it tingles. Ginger. But now comes also fruit. Tangerine. Quince. Again some sharpness comes through.

Pleasant sharpness. A bit of alliment. A little fruit. The oak makes it dry.

For the sheer euphoria, forget about adding some water. That makes his mouth creamier and more fruity.