The Whiskyman Unknown Speyside Distillery 17 Year Old 1995 (for Sweden)

I was recently given a mysterious sample with the request of tasting it. It comes from a bottling for Sweden from The Whiskyman. Some research taught me that is was bottled for Viking Line, the Swedish ferry service. A bottling for Cinderella, maybe? That is a Norwegian whiskyfair on board of such a ferry. That is about all I could find out. Pity! I am curious, though. But let me get started.

The nose opens very light, but after some patience and hand warmth it opens up nicely and becomes very fruity. Pear drops, brown sugar and some cinnamon. According to the label, this is a bourbon cask. Hm. White and yellow fruit like apples and pineapple. The last one pretty juicy too. Banana as well. A hint of glue or varnish, but not in a bad way. Au contraire. Soft on the spices. A handful of earth and coconut. I quite like it.

It is creamy and mouth coating. Soft as butter. Even more fruit than on the nose with a good dose of syrupy honey to dab the fruit in. Wonderful. The spices are a bit louder, now.

On the finish, which is medium long, the honey and spices linger the longest with a touch of oak on the deathbed.

Sturdy Speyside, but I would not want to venture a guess. I wonder if the Whiskyman (aka Dominiek Bouckaert) knows himself? I suppose he does. Anyway, good stuff.