Taster

Nose: Malt along with dried fruit and nut, then burnt toffee, red fruits and real sherried quality. Water shows cake mix and prune.

Palate: Very sherried with a certain soft, sweet fruitiness in the centre and dry maltiness underneath.

Finish: Dry, burnt fruit.

Comment: A lot of wood-derived flavours and aromas here. Has a certain swaggering style.

Score: 7

Taster

Nose: Fruity. Raisins, especially dates, orange peel.

Palate: Beautiful balance of dark, syrupy, fruity, maturation flavours and cedary, oily, marshmallow, characteristics from the spirit itself.

Finish: Gentle, long, warming, lemon grass, spice.

Comment: Matching Auchentoshan with Pedro Ximinez is like putting Benny Lynch in the ring with Marciano. What do you get? It's unimaginable, but in whisky it works.

Score: 8.3