Cambus 1991 26 Year Cask Strength Collection (Signatory)

On the nose: Vanilla, a pastry with custard and raisins, a touch of greenness, very subtle grape or wine essence, with bright hints of orange and lemon citrus. A sweet background note of caramel, toffee, nougat, and burnt sugar is present but subdued. On the palate: A warm, smooth, and creamy vanilla entry quickly shifts to a spicy and hot cinnamon development, accompanied by abundant oak tannin and black pepper. The tannins eventually dominate, leading to a palate-puckering astringency that is surprisingly pleasant and fitting. Later, an almost numbing clove oil and anise character emerges. A foundational fruitiness is nearly masked by extended sherry cask aging. On the finish: Medium length. Tannic oak and grains give way to a sweet yet firm aftertaste. Placed in butt #55894 in 1991 and bottled in 2018, this tasting was from bottle 426 of 486. The sherry butt is apparent on the nose but not overpowering. Indeed, with the consistent background vanilla, one might mistake it for ex-bourbon aging, were it not for the persistent grape-skin tannin. Like most cask-strength, single-cask spirits, a dash of water significantly enhances it. I added a full teaspoon after an initial neat tasting, and it improved considerably. The nose initially receded, as expected, but soon returned with a more pronounced oak note. The palate softened immensely, and in this altered state, the spirit displayed superior balance and depth, feeling largely revitalized. When adding water, allow at least 20 minutes for it to integrate, or you'll miss the newly revealed sweet barley-sugar notes. Sweet grain and more delicate spice notes were obvious, and the progression was more refined. Normally, I finish a tasting sample before reviewing, but I'm enjoying this so much I'll savor it for a while longer. However, ultimately, while it's a good single-grain, it's not an excellent one, and I'd only suggest it for those deeply exploring this category of whisky. It lacks the velvety, silken richness of a truly exceptional single grain, and the profile is somewhat reserved. Tasted from a 30ml sample. "Good": 83/100 (3.5 stars)