Sometimes in life we have to spoil ourselves, so when I want to spoil myself in the whisky world I generally turn to a well matured sherried whisky.. The aromas and flavours just seem to have the power to transport you into a different place.. Take all the pains away from your working day, all the struggles in life just drain away.. So when it came to spoiling myself this time I chose a very distinct sherry matured example from the one and only Douglas Laing.. Over the years I have bought quite a lot from this independent bottler, the quality never fails to live up to expectations and there has been a few that supersede expectations.

Aultmore 25 year old

Distillery.. Aultmore

Distilled.. February 1990

Bottled.. February 2016

Age.. 25 years

Abv.. 54.4%

Cask.. Sherry Butt

Outturn.. 302 bottles

Bottler.. Douglas Laing

This is naturally coloured and NCF

Nose.. Unique and strangely subtle at first, The dried fruits just gently rise with soft notes of chocolate and molasses then WHAM.. Everything just comes to life, the dried fruits just intensify with candied orange, cinnamon, ginger and luscious figs all mingling together to give an incredible scent of mystery and seduction.

Palate.. Fundamentally flawless.. Those dark fruits, candied  orange, dark chocolate, coffee grinds, liquorice, marzipan, tobacco, old leather and dark dark toffee just take turns to delight the senses.. Subtle oak notes seduce you while you concentrate on a touch of fresh fruit, a little plum and peaches smothered in honey give this the finishing touches..

Finish.. Spiced oak and very graceful..

Thoughts.. I don’t think I need to tell you how much I enjoyed this !!  This is one of those malts that just teases your senses, seduces you extremly easily and takes you entirely… All you have to do with this whisky is pour, sit back and take your time, there is no need to rush, after all it has laid waiting for this moment for 25 years !!  When the team pick these casks to bottle I can just imagine how it feels to actually uncover these gems.  The fuzzy warm feeling this brought is extremly hard to explain, and I feel very privileged to have actually bought this bottle and have it in order to just pour whenever I want.. Well until it’s empty of course.. On the box it describes this as Extraordinary and Ridiculously Rare.. Your not wrong there !!!