GLENROTHES 22 ans 1995 First Fill Sherry American Oak Antipodes

Colour: burnished gold with copper tinges.

Nose: rich, complex. On the first nose, fragrances of honeysuckle, salted butter caramel, wild rose and strong spices (clove, nutmeg) form an elegant yet assertive first sequence. Allowed to breathe, notes of peanut, praline and oak precede far more oxidative aromas (brandied cherries, sherry vinegar) in a very distinguished sequence.

Palate: lively yet creamy. Giving its own take on the oxidative character of the nose, the attack is above all chocolatey and honeyed (heather). On the mid-palate, a few floral tones (iris, rose) and candied citrus fruits (lemon, grapefruit) continually draw the flavour palette higher. The milky end of the palate (coconut, agave) also reveals juicy fruits (pear, Mirabelle plum).

Finish: long, well-balanced. The deeply malty finish wavers between a very pure vegetal bitterness (sage, verbena), notes of dried fruit (date, fig) and toffee. The ethereal end of the finish at times evokes a raspberry brandy. On the retro-nasal olfaction, flavours of rose petal and exotic fruits (pomegranate, lychee) appear alongside notes of endive, mocha coffee and ginseng root. The empty glass is empyreumatic (wood varnish, beeswax).