The nose context was a fruit market (pear, orange, lemon, lychee, cherry) but we also found a leather handbag containing fag packets and nail varnish and paper bags of assorted fudge (vanilla, rum and raisin, ginger). The neat palate was quite an experience – apple pie, vanilla ice-cream, puff candy and honey sweetness, with menthol cigarette, aniseed and cardamom depth, while fizzy Vimto, soor plooms and white pepper popped playfully on the tongue. The reduced nose developed pleasantly – Battenberg, Bounty Bars and champagne sorbet. The palate continued to tingle and enervate – Lucozade, lemongrass and lollipop sticks. From the first distillery in Rothes.

DRINKING TIP: A mouth-cleaning substitute for toothpaste.

23 Years Date Distilled: 5th July 1990

Cask Type: Refill Ex-Bourbon Hogshead Region: Speyside Spey

Cask Type: Refill Ex-Bourbon Hogshead

Outturn: 1 of 204 bottles

Colour: Captain Hook’s gold tooth

What I say:

Many thanks to Tom of Toms Whisky Reviews for this sample from a bottle which piqued his curiosity from the SMWS.

Colour:

Light amber gold (6/20), quick medium tears, medium-fine legs

Nose:

Woody & sweet, fruity sherbet or Edinburgh rock (dry/dusty/chalky), apple, pear, peach, melon, orange, varnish or wood polish, spicy, herbal – sweet cicely or tarragon, cinnamon, aniseed balls

Taste:

Fruity stewed bramley apples, sour & sweet, fizzy lemonade float with vanilla ice cream, honey, eucalyptus, cough drops/linctus, lemon juice; citric and sour

Finish:

Medium-long, sweet & sour like refresher fruit/sherbet chews

Overall:

Fairly pleasant, a little too much eucalyptus or menthol – potentially good for a cold / hot toddy?

Score: 81/100

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