Mannochmore 1998 / Managers' Choice / Sherry Cask

Colour:  Rich amber with a gun-metal tint. Oily with elegant legs.

Nose:  Firm but not entrenched. Deceptive early aromas of linseed oil and putty quickly give way to a sharp, fresh, forest-fruit compote underscored by white chocolate, vanilla and beeswax. Water banishes the waxiness in an explosion of light, fruit-salad freshness.

Body:  Dense; though lightly syrupy with water.

Palate:  Fiery and insistent: An oily balance of sweet and sharp notes on a charred base of burnt orange peel; crêpes suzettes flamed for just a fraction too long in orange eau de vie. Lighter, more delicate and cooling with water; filled with the flavour of summer fruits, orange blossom and a whiff of peppermint.

Finish:  Warming and mentholic at cask strength; soft and fragrant with water. A surprising late sweetness, cut with orange oil, balances velvet-smooth, lengthy tannins and some very late, rounded, and much appreciated, smoke.

Comment:  A rich whisky at cask strength, perhaps moving to the after dinner slot; with water, more of the classic Mannochmore floral and fruit freshness. In both cases a beautiful balance of citrus sharpness and oaky-vanilla notes.