Nose: Rich malt, an apple-y freshness which belies its age. A good hit of really decent honey is followed on the tail by cinnamon and allspice.
Palate: Initially slightly mineralic – reminiscent of a well-aged Riesling, as the honey from the nose powers through again. The freshness from the nose is still here – an absolutely magnificently juicy dram. Freshly-picked cherries join the apple, but there’s no hint of them having been stewed, these are fresh as a daisy.
Finish: The official tasting notes for this make mention of the fact that this whisky bitters out towards the end. I don’t get that at all. The freshness powers through, bringing still more of that tangy, sweet goodness with it. The spices make themselves more known towards the death, with the Cinnamon and Allspice being joined by just a touch of the Clove.
Overall: An absolutely magnificent whisky. As with previous ‘very well aged’ G&M bottlings, the surprise is how incredibly fresh and juicy it has remained. Were a dram of this presented to ‘her-for-whom-it-was-bottled’, we’d like to think she’d get on with it very well. Kudos, G&M.