Tasting notes by Serge Valentin: 90 points

Colour: gold.

Nose: this is a rather unusual, rather zesty and ‘nervous’ profile at first nosing, with freshly squeezed oranges and some lemon balm, although some complex notes of beehive are already showing up, little by little. Those are signs of good great age! So we’ve got both the vibrancy of youth and the complexity of maturity here. Love these notes of pollen, heather honey, and this rather perfect and slightly vinous sourness. Riesling, perhaps. After two minutes, more and more marzipan and chocolate, perhaps that’s Mozart kugeln.

Mouth: really punchy, less soft and smooth than other older Speysiders, with rather grapefruits this time, a touch of lime-flavoured yoghurt, and then various spicy herbs and roots (thyme, ginger, turmeric) before more classic honeyed notes make a comeback. They would come together with dried figs.

Finish: long, with some spicy marzipan, a wee touch of green oak that do keep it zesty and lively. Bitter oranges and turmeric in the aftertaste. A fighting old Speysider that's packed with action.