Royal Lochnagar Friends of Classic Malt 40% 700ml

Nose: A delight straight off the bat. Steeped dried fruits, silky wafts of floral smoke, effortless oak integration and a lovely glazing of dark honey. Superb.

Palate: Sweet candied orange segments mix with a toasty, peppery smoke, some drying spice notes (cardamom and anise) with a mouth watering orange zest.

Finish: The oak tries to dominate, but is just about restrained by the spices.
Comment: The nose is the real selling point here, with bags of character. Well done indeed.