The Macallan John Crabbie Peated Single Cask Whisky 30 Year Old · 1987 Vintage

Colour

Deep amber with copper-gold glow and a subtle mahogany edge.

Nose

An elegant symphony of oak and fruit from the first whiff: polished old wood, raisins and baked apples, with autumn leaves and damson jam. A floral edge of orange blossom and honeysuckle sits beside sponge cake, fruit cookies and soon milk chocolate, coffee ice cream and roasted hazelnuts. The integration is superb, nothing dominates, everything intertwined.

Palate

Medium-full and generously weighted, the palate opens with a balanced oak bite and marmalade brightness. Dusty bookshelves and a touch of bonfire smoke frame fruit buns, burnt raisins, apple pie and icing sugar, with hints of chocolate and dried figs—utterly textbook refill sherry. A small drop of water lifts a tinned fruit syrup note; nutty tones deepen with time in the glass.

Finish

A warming, lengthy finish, with cinnamon bark, malt loaf and fruit leather, fading slowly to a crack of cracked black pepper.