Rich and aromatic, this single malt was made sweeter and deeper by two years of finish in a first fill Pedro Ximenez hogshead. The influence of the Spanish dessert wine is evident at the nose: plenty of raisins, ripe dried fruits (peaches, apricots, plums), but also a dark undercurrent of bergamot. Winey, slightly oaky, it offers notes of cola and coffee too. It doesn’t necessarily need water, since, in spite of its intensity, it’s well rounded and chewy. At the palate it’s sweet but also tannic and spicy: a slight nuttiness, then chocolate, candied oranges, and of course the expected raisins, with a slightly herbal finale that then starts building on peppery and mildly astringent notes that well complement the buttery sweetness.