All the witch's meat

It was immediately apparent that this was a big, hearty and very classical example of this famously 'meaty' Dufftown make. We detected loads of chunky notes such as herbal tonic wines, cedar wood, blood orange, orange muscat wine, pine wood, tarragon and toasted fennel seed. A massive and characterful whisky. With water the nose became superbly peppery, warming and bristling with unlit cigars in a humidor, crystallised exotic and dark fruits, herbal liqueurs and flower honey. The neat palate was drenched in waxes, old mead, warm brownies, loads of old-school rancio sherry vibes, more dried exotic fruits, plums and dates soaking in armagnac, and more pipe tobacco and sultanas. With reduction we got walnut wine, herbal bitters, herbes de Provence and a persistently vivid and old-school sherry richness, dominated by rancio, game meats, earthy heft and mineral sharpness. A hugely long, complex and satisfying whisky, we all agreed.