Superior Gold at Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition

A drier, tighter and spicier expression of single malt from this beloved Speyside distillery, enhanced with a finish of two years in a Pedro Ximenez barrel. Very curiously, for being such a sweet wine, the final result is much more on a dry side than expected, and this is already evident from the nose: only slightly winey, with a touch of balsamic vinegar, plenty of candied oranges, it then dances between the lighter notes of a bouquet of mixed flowers, and the darker ones of an old library. There’s a marked note of cereals and flour, too. At the palate it’s rather astringent, then balanced by a sweeter side of ripe peaches and apricots, and finally by a curiously toasted note. The finale is particularly peppery, dry and lively