Loch Lomond 30 year

Following comments from some individuals about Loch Lomond's selections, I finally opened the 30-year sample that had been stored for a considerable time. The initial aroma presents a blend of slightly sour gooseberries, vanilla custard, damp hay, and aged leather-bound books, followed by cocoa-dusted prunes, mineral notes, and espresso, then musty grapes, sour apple candy, and pineapple which shifts to ginger, cardamom, sassafras, and polished old oak furniture with minimal ethanol burn. The taste offers a medium to full mouthfeel, beginning with creamy sweet tropical fruits, scorched hay bales, and aged leather-bound books, then a moderate bitter and sour spice that gradually recedes to vanilla crème brûlée, cocoa nibs, prunes, mineral notes, and espresso, followed by musty grapes, caramelized peaches, and salted mango which transitions to ginger, cardamom, sassafras, anise, and mildly bitter black tea with low ethanol burn. The finish is lengthy with black pepper, cocoa nibs, prunes, orange custard, mangos, ginger, cloves, dusty leather-bound books, and lacquered old oak. This was an unexpected delight; the nose initially seemed concerning due to its slightly sour character, but the taste was a wonderful combination of tropical fruit and aged polished oak, marred by a moderate bitter and sour spice before concluding with a long finish balancing sweet and sour fruits, subtle earthy spices, and aged polished oak that persists for minutes after each sip. This was my first experience with Loch Lomond, and it was absolutely stunning, truly coming together after over 30 years of aging. However, with a price tag exceeding $600, I am quite content with just a sample, as numerous other options I prefer are available for significantly less.