The nose kicks off like a walk through a summer garden, finished off with round of buttered granary toast with honey. The palate is big, the floral notes giving way to pears in syrup, some lightly charred oak and a touch of salt.

This landmark 1988 vintage has never been re-casked. It has matured over 30 years in warehouses in the same wood it was originally filled into – refill bourbon and, unusually, rare refill squat hogsheads. It was always understood that this small parcel of casks required no interference, no guiding hand; just a watchful eye and … Continued