SMWS 1.81 / 27 Year Old / "Swarfega" / Sherry Cask

The distillery which made this venerable malt is still owned and run by the descendants of its founder. It nestles in a green valley in the shadow of Ben Rinnes and has the largest stills and mash tun on Speyside. It produces a benchmark Speyside, but this example is excitingly aberrant. It is curiously green in colour - reminiscent of Swarfega, the antiseptic hand wash jelly. Even stranger, it smells a bit like Swarfega; this and syrup of figs, liquorice and cut grass from an oily lawnmower. Your guests might be pressed to identify it as whisky. But the flavour is splendid; very sweet and clean, with perfume and almonds when taken straight; more waxy when reduced.