The richest, fullest and more expressive barrel from this batch deserved to be bottled as a single cask at full strength. Enriched by a finish of 2 years in first fill Oloroso, it’s a very old school Speyside malt, with an autumnal nose reminiscent of an old bookstore. Wood polish, beeswax: deeply aromatic and with the sherry perfectly integrated into the whisky, not explicitly fruity or winey. At the palate it’s dry, firm, rich with notes of orange rind, raisins, vermouth and coffee. With the addition of a few drops of water it becomes drier, more mineral, crisper, but also with a hint of toasted bread. Very spicy and herbal too. The aftertaste is increasingly spicy, with a lingering tannic touch.