From Loch Fyne Whiskies;

For Ancestral, Inverarity Vaults’ Hamish Martin has selected a 14yo sherry cask matured Balmenach. It is dark, extremely smooth, with great strength and complexity, very slightly sherry-cloying in the mouth.

A wonderful after dinner dram.

The nose is very sherried but of a style and quality that one rarely encounters these days; this is hardly a shock since one would not expect Loch Fyne Whiskies to accept anything but the best as their ‘House Malt’. It is very clean and sweet with some spicy hints and a touch of mint followed by warm brown sugar, Christmas cake and furniture wax. The taste is warming and mellow at first followed by a rich spiciness and coffee, dried Christmas fruits, raisins and toffee. There is also hints of Hessian, sherry oak, sweet cold tea, gentle pine resin and cedar notes. The finish is long, warming and sweet at first followed by a strong oaky and brandy like warmness. The oak is very spicy and is exceptional. After a few minutes the cold sweet tea returns and there are alternating waves of sweetness and sherry followed by the spicy oak. The later stages of the finish become quite dry however the spiciness lingers on.

What an exceptional dram. Buy a bottle soon!

£27 at https://www.lfw.co.uk/

Score 88 Points