Patience will be rewarded as after a short wait the whisky blossomed with a sweet and nose tingling exuberance, bountiful with ripe red apples, sticky wine gums, elderflower and honey on toasted crumpets. The palate, although initially hot, was juicy, sticky and herbal with a delicious mouth-coating texture like cough sweets, melted salted butter and soft toffee. Water released a softness of autumnal leaves, sweet caramel, leather and a pleasing spiciness of cloves and pickled ginger. After spending 11 years in an ex-Bourbon hogshead this whisky was transferred into a virgin oak hogshead for the remainder of its maturation.