Whyte & Mackay 40 years old

Appearance: Deep amber

Aroma: (straight) Mellow. Immediately rich, sweet and sherried. Faintly oily (teak oil), gradually opens and becomes more aromatic: brambles, brown bananas, polished leather, wet chamoix leather, moist molasses sugar.

Reduced (@40%) A tea-spoon of water enhances the polished leather notes, introducing furniture polish, boat varnish and natural turpentine. Some stewed apples; a trace of vanilla. If anything a dash of water increases richness, but if too much is added, it dies.

Flavour: (straight) Sweet start; mouth-drying overall. Brown sugar, cedar wood. Long finish. Sandalwood in the aftertaste. Lingering, pleasant. Drinks well straight.

Reduced (@ 40%) Sweetish; smooth mouthfeel. Slightly astringent and tannic in the finish. Milder than the nose would promise. Mellow and still fruity (apples now stewed plums!), but dominated by fragrant wood. Long-lingering fruity/woody aftertaste.

Comment: A most distinguished whisky. Rich and mellow, but not flat. Should be appreciated like old cognac.

Nose: Toffee, fudge, butterscotch lead to lemon curd notes with citrus zest freshness, then vanilla richness.

Palate: Rounded, luscious and with body, opening up with orange marmalade, mellow spices, toffee, fudge, citrus zest, lemon curd and orange notes, with a hint of toastiness.

Finish: Rich maltiness with a toasty hint, and fruity dryness.

Colour: Amber with copper glints

Nose: Luscious and deep.  Melted chocolate and dried fruit (sultana/fig roll/prune) as well as ginger in syrup and a hint of cedar. Dried mint, smoke and some charred oak, baked apple. In time, fragrant top notes emerge. Pot pourri. Elegant.

Palate: Tongue-coating, allowing a slow release of flavours. Light spices and a gentle grip. There’s vanilla with cinnamon, camomile, oolong tea. Seamless and smooth. Fantastic balance.

Finish: Clean. Touch of vanilla then syrup. Long and complex with a lavender-scented farewell.

Colour - Intense deep mahogany with amber highlights.

Nose – With a majestic 70% malt content there is adequate structure and backbone from the Highlands to make their immediate presence felt. Warm distinguished aromas of chocolate cake and thick vanilla toffee with hints of aged American White oak and sherry. Thanks to the finest Gonzalez Byass ‘Amoroso’ sherry butts this happy union is complete.

Taste - Spicy orange liquorice and crushed fleshy peaches roll onto the tongue. The aftertaste of Java coffee and bitter almond chocolate then continues to unfold.

[These tasting notes are by Richard Paterson, Master Blender]