Cask No. 37.97

Cask No. 37.97

Old and delightful, yet firm

Speyside, Spey

Our noses were twitched and bewitched – Kir Royale and beeswax candles on an antique writing desk, grape-flavoured sherbet crystals and Demerara-sprinkled rhubarb crumble with custard. The palate was old and delightful, yet firm (like a good Panel chair) – dark chocolate, toffee and date sweetness; sharp fruits (grapefruit, lemon, lime, cherry pie) and pickled ginger, turmeric and cardamom warmth. The reduced nose found waxed fruits, rum and raisin ice-cream, bread and butter pudding and sweet Muscat wine. The reduced palate discovered a pleasantly bitter finish of marmalade, sorrel and quince. After 31 years in bourbon wood, we transferred this into a first-fill Pedro Ximenez hogshead.

Cask: First-fill Pedro Ximenez hogshead
Age: 32 years
Date distilled: April 1985
Alcohol: 49.6%
USA allocation: 42 bottles