New Zealand 1988 Single Cask 29 Year Old TWE Exclusive

Billy Abbott, The Whisky Exchange

• Nose

  Fragrant white, stone and tropical fruit, and polished oak: peaches, pineapples and pears in an old wooden fruit bowl. Lardy-cake brown sugar and sultana notes build, with rich caramel and soft spice following – cinnamon and dark brown sugar sprinkled on white toast.

• Palate

  Polished oak and woody explode across the palate. Cinnamon and vanilla part to reveal a fruity core: pineapple sweets, spiced baked apples, white-wine-poached pears and crisp white peach. Rich toffee notes build from behind with a hint of cooling mint and menthol.

• Finish

  Buttered toast and sultanas fade to leave light fruitcake and wax-polished tables.

• Comment

  Elegant and well-aged, although still with a punchy intensity. Tropical fruit and restrained spice come together with a touch of old-fashioned waxiness to create an excellent, old-school whisky.