Nose: Smooth, silky cereal, syrupy flapjacks, polished oak. Dessicated coconut, then other nutty notes: unsalted peanut, brazil nut.
Palate: A silky caress. Unexpectedly strong spicy entry, but always honeyed and rounded by some toasty oak. The honeyed malt is beautifully interwoven around the venerable grain, which must be absolutely ancient.
Finish: A perfectly-integrated slow fade of the palate. Mouthwatering grain, and the honey and spices fade slowly. Extremely long but still very gentle.
Comment: The daddy of premium blends divides fans as to whether or not it merits its price tag, but there is definitely something esoteric about the basically flawless balance on display here. Smoother than a hot-buttered, freshly-shaven diplomat in velvet trousers.