For the finale of The Singleton's Epicurean Odyssey Series, which explores extreme depths of flavour, malt master Maureen Robinson experimented with pushing secondary maturation to the max. The Singleton of Glen Ord 40 Year Old began its life as the wonderful Singleton 12 Year Old, only then it was transferred to a combination of rum, bourbon, Pedro Ximénez and oloroso sherry casks for almost three decades.
In addition to that lengthy secondary maturation, it was then moved into Guatemalan rum casks from Ron Zacapa for a few months before bottling at cask strength. Glen Ord is known for its green, fresh aromas of cut grass and gentle peat smoke, and those are alive and well here alongside a symphony of dark chocolate, tropical fruit, sea salt, and black pepper notes.
The nose is mellow, with a little prickle at first; fruity top notes hint at dried apple and are soon backed by a more savoury aroma evoking sage, while richer hints of fruit, suggesting plums enrobed in dark chocolate, sit on a balancing base of sweetly spicy oak, with light aromas of hard toffee and oak shavings. A drop of water introduces a wisp of waxy smoke.
At natural strength, the texture is decadently smooth and lightly waxy while the taste starts sweet, vibrant and very fruity, becoming slightly salty and plum sour mid-palate. Complex layers of flavour suggest pears slathered indulgently in dark chocolate and caramelised tropical fruits, as with toffee-covered banana and pineapple. Beautifully balanced and super-smooth, with sustained rich, sweet fruitiness balanced by slow-building black pepper. Velvet smooth dark chocolate tannins herald an appetising drying note. A drop of water emphasises the fruit and softens the spice, bringing out a mouth-cooling aftertaste.
Quite long, deep-flavoured and lightly drying, with black pepper spice and another hint of waxy smoke.
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