1990’s Royal Lochnagar – Selected Reserve – 700 ml – 43 % vol

From the distillery near Balmoral in Deeside comes this rare dram. Made by a staff of only eight people (Alistair Skakies distillery manager), this whisky is smooth and fragrant. There is no age statement as each barrel is tasted many times in its life time before being judged to be ready for bottling. Very collectible, with authentication certificate, leaflet and individual number: bottle 45892. In wooden box.

Colour: Dark pink gold.

Nose: Superb! Dried figs, whiffs of cigar smoked intermingled with honey notes, plus some high-end leather polish and then more and more tangerines, as marmalade, as syrup, as fresh juice… Wonderful old-school nose.

Mouth: Totally superb, meaty, sooty, ashy, … It’s really very complex, The tangerines are there again, and there’s many ‘old’ dried fruits, honey, mead… It’s really deep and complex.

Finish: Long, with some Spanish ham, more mead, those figs… It’s really superb! The aftertaste is grassier and drier, so never tiring, you’re ready for another glass.

Comments: Superb sweet and dry style.