Tasting note: Pours bright copper forming thick tears on the sides of the glass. Vapoury, spirity-prickle; Flashes of balsamic give way to moist fruit slice and hints of banana cake…needs time to penetrate the alcoholic lift. Ten minutes settles the bouquet adding vanilla bean, Christmas pudding and fruit’n’nut chocolate. Massive bittersweet malt attack, reigned in by resiny oak, numbing alcohol and unrelenting spices. Brawny, but better balance the second time round as air contact seems to both expand and integrate the flavour range. Adding water draws out a lovely caramel / honeycomb note on the nose, relieving the bitter edge and extending the palate. Quite a ride, and a hell of a lot of whisky for the money. 59.2% Alc./Vol.