This is a sublime Rosebank, bottled for Diageo's Special Releases. There are just 4530 numbered bottles worldwide.

I had liked 2011’s 21 year old quite a lot (WF 88) but it wasn’t a lemon bomb. Colour: pale gold. Nose: a little more closed at first nosing, but that may come from the higher strength. I find it delicately fragrant, with meadow flowers, then rather oranges instead of lemons. A wee touch of earth and sawdust too, lemon curd, and then a very funny and certainly unexpected note of capsicum. With water: more humus, damp earth, mushrooms… No chalk this time. Also chamomile, aniseed and lemon balm. Nice development. Mouth (neat): thicker and richer again. Vanilla, barley sugar, ginger liqueur, then lemon juice and a little bitter grass. Raw malted barley. With water: excellent. Lemon and grapefruit syrup with some barley sugar and a touch of spearmint, then plums. Finish: long, clean, zesty, Rosebank. Comments: excellent. It’s maybe not a hugely complex spirit but if you enjoy citrus in your whisky, you’ll love it.

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