Tamdhu 18yo old bottling

Tamdhu is now regarded as a premium single malt whisky, a potential rival to Macallan; however, a couple of decades ago, it was primarily used in blends and was quite obscure. Having said that, they've always taken pride in the sherry maturation of their whiskies, and I wanted to experience a taste of the past, an 18-year-old Tamdhu from the late 1990s and early 2000s. Let's see if it was any good back then. Bottled at 43% ABV, with a chestnut color. On the nose, it's sweet and complex. Red apples with caramel. Honey and cinnamon. It evokes apple pie, but also fruitcake. Candied fruits. The aroma evolves after breathing, revealing notes of oranges, chocolate, figs, and blackberry marmalade. Almonds and hay. Simply an astonishing aroma. On the palate, it's dry and a bit rustic. Dry paper sheets, ginger, tobacco, and hay. Grapefruit and chili. Quite enjoyable. The aftertaste is amazing. It has a nice "bite." Tobacco and metallic notes; clove and acidic oranges. Very mineral. Overall, this is a very sophisticated, highly complex, dreamlike single malt. The Tamdhu character is evident, and the sherry maturation is top-notch. An impressive single malt that I'm now regretting having finished. I need to find another, and after that, perhaps I'll seek out more before this vintage release disappears forever. My score for it is 95 out of 100.