Thomas Lewis
May 25, 2026, 12:30:36
Popped this open a few months back and, honestly, it was a bit shy. Gave it some proper breathing and now… blimey. Deep gold in the glass, like nectar. Nose has this lovely combination of mint and liquorice, star anise, and maybe a whisper of parsley? Then the dried fruits roll in – figs, sultanas, raisins, dried pears, a spoonful of quince jelly, and a good smear of orange marmalade. It’s got a proper Christmassy side. There’s rich Sauternes-like sweetness too, honeycomb, pollen. Vegetal notes hang about in a great way. The palate’s rounder now, and the finish is long with old sweet wine in the aftertaste. No water needed, perfect strength. Really improved after a few months, improved a lot with quite some breathing. Makes those lousy ‘best of 2012’ lists look daft. Got that classic Speyside soul, like those old drams everyone chases. Pretty perfect, this. 🍯🥃
