Secret Speyside 30 Year Old 1990 #Twj-Gl-1990 The Whisky Jury

Joeri of The Whisky Jury recently launched no less than 7 new bottles, but one of them is exclusive to Singapore (a 30-year-old Islay) and one to Japan (a 10-year-old Ledaig). So I can only discuss the five that are available in my neck of the woods. Let's start with this 30-year-old Secret Speyside. Well, 'secret'. But what an excellent whisky again!

The nose is aromatic, waxy and complex and that's the least you can say about it. Subtly scented with chamomile tea, heather flowers, autumn leaves and bark of an old oak tree. Salted caramel, jute and cough candy. Pencil shavings. Tunisian fig jam and apricots.

Oily, almost creamy on the palate with a lot of spiciness in the guise of cloves, cinnamon, camphor and some black pepper. Becomes syrupy sweet on raisins, figs, apricots, mango and again that touch of salted caramel. Great, despite the rather modest ABV.

Wonderfully long, warm finish that makes you reach for a second glass. On the deathbed a sigh of tannins and a hint of cough syrup.

I will bend the knee for this one.