Nose: Very reserved, and slow. Fruit acidity, red apple skins and dried fruits, with sweeter notes of rum toffee, chocolate brownies. Followed by sooty smoke with alluring, aromatic spices: frankincense, clove, cedar.
Palate: Slow but consistent, with autumn berries and dried fruit. Cherry stones. Cooling at first, then becoming hot and lively.
Finish: Long, with roasted malt, the ghost of black pepper, and some nutmeg in the smoky and savoury aftertaste.
Overall: A hugely complex and rewarding release.