Nose

The continental breakfast of whiskies! Gentle and welcoming, a warm swell of baking spices greet you as sweet vanilla bean custard follows. With air, more baked good-adjacent flavours emerge: hot cross buns, fresh croissants, baked apples, orange marmalade and a smorgasbord of fresh juices (cloudy apple, mandarin, and fresh orange with pulp). As the nose progresses, a fresh and fruity quality develops, and more tropical flavours emerge (kiwi, red and orange lifesavers) as all the notes slowly settle into a harmonious buffet.

Palate

Ah – there is some really old whisky in here. Opening delicately with a light grip of fine, old oak right at the front (almost like sweet tissue paper), the back palate lights up with a wave of lime and mandarin – completely in sync. This is a palate with great structure and lots of dimension. A beautiful balance of fruit, spice, and confectionery (with some jammy things) comes next, as the flavours swell into one another. Iced Vovo’s, candied almonds, more hot cross buns, lime jelly, warm custard and a big dose of mango chutney see you through the finish.

Finish

 Carrying over with those spices found on the nose, with even more aroma as a wave of incense (warm amber, sandalwood) deepens into plums and date syrup. A new depth of flavour is reached, and that depth carries all the way until the end. Toasted brioche meets raisins soaked in orange juice, bread and butter pudding and a bright flicker of lemongrass within sweetened French Earl Grey tea.