A long finish of 54 months… but a subtle one due to the use of second fill Port pipes, not to overwhelm this delicate Speyside malt. The result is very convincing and well integrated, as it’s not obviously influenced by the wine. At the nose it has black and red cherries, and a note of liquor-filled chocolates. It’s a creamy but also quite dark profile, not exceedingly fruity. The typically mineral and waxy mouthfeel of this distillery is present, but made more muscular than usual by the interaction with the casks. There are maraschino cherries, Sacher torte, dried plums, and a spicy touch: there is sweetness, but on average it’s not a markedly sugary whisky at all. The very peppery character, lively and warm, grows in intensity towards the end.