- Nose
- childhood memories… Grandma's jam cupboard, uncle Ernst' cigar humidor, grandpa's little fine herb garden, my other uncle's old car… And 'natural' motor oil, fruitcake, whiffs of lamp oil, old books market, hints of yellow chartreuse, beeswax, linseed oil, old turpentine, earl grey tea… It's all extremely complex, not really bold and rather drier than other old expressions but indeed, the complexity is completely amazing. There's also some wonderful rancio like in a very old cognac of first quality – or the greatest old sherries for that matter.
- Palate
- It's still incredibly big, with indeed an unusual smokiness (many old Macallans were quite smoky but not that much) and then an extremely long development on tarry cough lozenges, roasted chestnuts, chocolate, blackberry jam, quinces, a little leather, toffee and then many herbal teas and liqueurs.
- Finish
- extremely long, herbal, tarry and jammy, amazingly firm, with even a little salt in the aftertaste. No, quite some salt! A feeling of perfectly integrated amontillado also in the aftertaste, together with more orange liqueur and something slightly medicinal (camphor, eucalyptus).
