Only moderately influenced by the 36 months finish in a first fill sherry hogshead, this remains a clean, dry, flowery and quite gentle Speyside malt. It’s the right influence from Oloroso that lets the spirit speak, without being overwhelmed by the wine. At the nose it has the expected fruitiness: pears, apples, peaches, small red berries. A hint of nuttiness, some chestnut honey, and a firm malty aroma. When tasting, you might want to add a small drop of water to open it up and release the malty sweetness rather than the drier and nuttier notes from the sherry. Still, it’s not markedly winey: it remains fruity, fresh, crisp, with notes of orange peel and flowery fragrance. We would dare say that with water it’s great as an aperitif malt, while without water it’s suited as a pairing with blue cheese or as an afterdinner dram.