The final two years of maturation in a first fill Pedro Ximenez hogshead are the key to a very juicy, rich and full-bodied whisky, with a strong influence from the Spanish dessert wine. From the first whiff in the glass, the intense style is obvious: very raisiny, with extremely ripe dried fruits (peaches, apricots, plums). It’s winey, but also sweet and creamy, with a noticeable note of cereals and flour. At the palate it’s sweet but not cloying: cola, toasted nuts, chocolate, candied orange, and of course the expected raisins. It’s chewy but not thick, with appetizing notes of vermouth too. It grows spicier and nutty towards the end, for a nice balance to the raisiny sweetness.