In spite of the finish for 14 months in Pedro Ximemez, this is a very classic Islay malt. The use of a second fill hogshead only allows the sweet Spanish wine to add a subtle enrichment to the typical peaty profile. There is indeed a pleasantly sweet and sour hint at the nose, but it’s not explicitly winey: only a lot of smokiness, ash and tar. The same balance between wine and spirit is found at the palate: there is a backbone of sweetness, a hint of buttery pastries, of crème brûlée, but it serves as the juicy tapestry on which the smokiness shines even more. With the passing of time in the glass, it evolves more and more into a standard Islay style: very ashy, very tarry, only a bit more muscular than usual. Towards the end, a hint of oakiness appears.