Glen Garioch Hand Filled, 33 years Old, 1985 Vintage

When the hotel bartender in Speyside opened the special cabinet and revealed what he described as a rarity, I knew something exceptional was imminent. This is a Glen Garioch 1985, 33 years old, bottled in 2018 after maturing in a sherry butt, yielding only 199 bottles per cask. Its color is pitch black, resembling Coca-Cola. Bottled at 43.1% ABV. On the nose: dried fruit, chocolate, citric notes, prunes. It's like a box of raisins. On the palate: it is perfect. Bitter dark chocolate, milk powder. Very dry. Raisins. It's so good. The aftertaste is also amazing and out of this world. Very old dried fruit, feeling like they are about to expire. Ultra sweet raisin flavor. Overall, this is a delicious, very dark dram. There's a feeling of chocolate madness throughout. If not for a few deductions on the nose, this would receive a perfect score. Nevertheless, it is an outstanding dram. 95 out of 100.