1954 Gordon & MacPhail Glen Grant Rare Vintage 40%

Nose: ye gods, this has aged! There are wrinkles on every aspect of the nose. But, somehow, the darkest of muscovado sugars do just enough to keep the massive tannins at bay. Taste: eye-wateringly tight with oak. But again those sugars work with colossal will to keep the balance. It is creaking and cracking but the integrity still holds. Finish: much more relaxed vanilla as the tannins begin to yield; a little spiced treacle makes for a delightful fade. Balance: hangs on for dear life. But just about stays in the camp of excellence having nearly outstayed its welcome.

This ancient full-bodied single malt is the perfect summer after dinner dram. Matured in the heart of Speyside for fifty-nine years, this golden amber liquid has a delightful nose brimming with aromas of a summer fruit salad brimming with strawberries, raspberries, and cantaloupe balanced by undertones of hessian cloth and old leather. The palate is delighted by bursts of fruit, thick and smooth in the mouth with an underpinning of fresh menthol. <br><br>The addition of a small drop of clear spring water transforms the summer into autumn. Aromas of plump, freshly picked, red apples, and newly harvested aniseed mingle with rich leather and old books. A quick sip reveals mild spices intermingling with the fresh citrus bursts of fleshy grapefruit and lemon culminating in a long and fruity finish with subtle menthol notes.