The Crown Jewels of Ancient Kings

We all agreed this was yet another totally stunning example of this famous Islay distillery. The neat nose veritably brimmed with exotic fruit chutneys, smoked teas, pickling brine, anchovy fillets in smoked olive oil and sandalwood smouldering on a beach bonfire. Water brought charred mango, guava and passion fruit, plus crushed nettle, dried kelp, nori and exotic fruit juices. The neat palate opened with a wonderfully fat impression of camphors, hessian, gorse flower, exotic fruit teas, seawater and a smoky/earthy combination. Water brought tropical marmalade, beautiful medicinal complexity, herbal cough syrup, impressions of long-aged herbal liqueurs and beautiful layers of soft peat smoke. A hypnotic dram at every turn – almost like whisky from another galaxy! This was matured in a bourbon hogshead for 17 years before being transferred to a second fill Spanish oak oloroso hogshead.