From Chris Hoban...
Nose: At first, the impact is blood oranges, tangerines and a waxy nature. Then what follows is vanilla pastries, Jaffa cake jelly, bananas and a biscuity malty note. Really fresh. It jumps out of the glass and has such life for something with such age.
Palate: Slight hint of ash, slight hint of peat, again an orange jelly and zestiness Creamy and slight hints of a Ruby Port.
Finish: Beautiful. Liqueur chocolates, stewed apples and high cocoa dark chocolate. A nice citrusy note followed by the first taste of dry oak. This tiniest bit of dryness entices you to taste again. Sadly my sample is all gone.
One more thing. The only whisky this can really be compared to is Mortlach 70. I prefer the Glenlivet 70. It suits my sweet tooth, it's fresher and has more vitality while still exhibiting the moreish nature of the Mortlach.
From Charlie MacLean...
Appearance: Deep amber, with tawny lights.
Aroma: A mild nose-feel. The first aroma is of an old cocktail cabinet, with Sherry notes predominating: polished wood, soft leather and a trace of candlewax. Behind this are fruity notes, lightly baked apples (even Tarte Tatin), but also fresh orange juice, and just a thread of smoke or ash in the distance. Adding a drop of water suppresses the fruity notes and slightly enhances the sweetness (now tablet) and smokiness.
Taste: A waxy, teeth-coating, mouthfeel; smooth and voluptuous. The taste is sweetish to start, then savoury, with a trace of salt – might this be a rare example of ‘umami’ in whisky, the elusive fifth primary taste? The finish is long, with a faint smokiness in the aftertaste. Drinks well at natural strength. With a drop of water the flavours remain intact.
Development: Fades gracefully towards vanilla fudge and sanded wood.
Cask Type: First Fill Sherry Butt.
Comment: A stupendous whisky! Although it resonates with aged character – and, indeed, characteristics from another era - it retains vitality, both on the nose and in the mouth.