A total beauty of an Islay malt, with a progressive and gradual development that’s simply breathtaking. The extra finish for 54 months in a first fill Bourbon cask helped to round its edges, and the result is mature, thoughtful, extremely balanced. At the nose, it can be shy at first: give it time, swirl it in the glass, add a couple of drops of water (but not more than a couple!) if you wish. It will soon start to reveal its secrets: gone is the brash loudness of youth, and enter the darkly brooding aromas of maturity. Deep tarry smokiness, velvety malty sweetness, a hint of honey and propolis. While still very powerful, at the palate it has a long evolution: not a sharp and salty attack on the tongue, but a slowly blossoming richness of peat, iodine, ash, cereals. It takes several seconds to build to full power, and then it becomes explosive. It’s a deceivingly straightforward Islay malt, pure and unadulterated, but with an evolution of intensity of flavour that’s hard to find in younger expressions. The finale is long, warm, intense but caressing, with smoke and black pepper tamed by the creamy richness of the malt.