Nose: highly classic. It starts on cereal notes and vanilla with light hints of polished oak. Fruity notes underneath, mostly apples, peaches and other garden fruits. Some custard and white flowers. Then also hints of herbal honey. In the background there’s also a nice marshmallow note, which comes out more with a drop of water.
Mouth: more of this “indigenous” fruitiness, now slightly brighter and more acidic. Lemons and grapefruits, with apples in second row. Then there’s a firm oaky side to it, bringing white pepper and aniseed, as well as a hint of green tea and bitter lemon. Some waxy notes and vanilla too.
Finish: long, with the oak spice lingering on. White pepper and lemon green tea. Still some vanilla.
This is a high quality bourbon cask, with a classic and vibrant profile. It’s rather perfect but it also stays a little too much in the center, if you know what I mean. The price of such an old official bottling doesn’t really help of course
