1979 Ronnie's Reserve, Cask Ref 5454, Speyside, Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 49.9%

1879 was the year this distillery produced the first spirit, and 100 years later, the spirit was laid down for the first-ever Vintage, which was released in 1994 and is now extremely rare. In 1979, a 4th set of stills was added, and there was a degree of concern that the spirit would not be the same. While I can not tell you whether it was, I can tell you that this was the ‘old style’ and different from the 1980s. The 1979 was an extraordinary vintage, and we were lucky that this particular cask had not, at that stage, reached its peak of maturity so that we could enjoy the result many years later. It’s one of the very best of its age.

Appearance: Mid-gold, polished brass

Bouquet: Elegance in a glass, enticing orchard fruits, honey and spicy notes, all in complex harmony.

Palate: Complexity wrapped firmly in a honey blanket. It is unusual to see a sherry hogshead from that era. It has just the vaguest suggestion of its sherry background, while the American oak vanillas and honey pull off a dominance.

Finish: Deliciously moreish, this is a champion example of the elegance of this mid-body spirit, where the distillery’s character is clearly evident. It perfectly combines American Oak sherry and this distillery’s much-loved spirit.

Berry Bros. & Rudd