This one could be an ideal benchmark malt for this evening, even if it isn’t a cask strength malt. The colour is full amber, and at first nosing it appears to be mellow and warming. Great, fine sherry, but not bold like in the 12yo. Then come some bitter orange, coffee bean, nutmeg. Develops on vanilla pod and, surprisingly, on ginger tonic, and finally some fresh fruity notes appear (kiwi, melon). The mouthfeel is balanced, sweet and slightly bitter. Even a little sharp. The palate has a lot of fine sherry of course, some fine wood, and then some very ripe banana and crystallised orange. It’s very balanced but gets a little bitter, and the finish is medium long. In short it’s quite big and bold, at least more than the 1984. Not very complex, but beautifully ‘crafted’. We’d like it to be a little more ‘extravagant’, but don’t forget it’s still a mass-market malt. SV 87 points, OH 88 points.

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