A whisky from Douglas Laing quickly calling another one, here is one more for a tasting that has surpassed, until this day, almost all tastings i’ve had. This 32 year old Strathmill (51.0% – cask n° DL 10912) is part of their very nice collection X.O.P. (for Xtra Old Particular) which counts some wonderful whiskys and this is one of them!

The Strathmill Distillery is located in the Speyside Region, their malt has long been used as a component of blends, it is only in the 1990s that a single malt was marketed. This single cask is from a sherry cask (look at its color!) and, a Speyside aged in sherry cask, that’s what call me to sin.

XOP Strathmill DL whisky 32 Nose: Whoaaa! It starts wonderfully! It smells like good old sherry, tobacco, dark chocolate, a little old leather side too but especially … The old port by its spicy side, very marked and very pleasant.

Mouth: Whoaaa! (bis repetita) We find dark chocolate, wood, tobacco, old sherry, black cherry, spices, tobacco (yes, twice the tobacco :p). Perfect balance! That’s what I would call a sophisticated sherry bomb.

Finish: Still and always sherry, spices and tobacco present until the end, like dark chocolate. A nice length with a little dry that calls for a second glass.

Note: 94/100 (Yeah, perfectly!)

An exceptional whisky, in my top 3, and it will be difficult to dethrone! Unfortunately, you will probably only find this one in auctions.

Look here for future releases from this collection. And don’t miss the next one!

Thanks again to Douglas Laing (and especially to Mairi) for the pictures 😀