27/01/2021 One blend

Blended Scotch 39yo 1979/2018 (53.3%, Berry Bros & Rudd exclusive to Royal Mile Whiskies, Sherry Butt, C#4, 385b): nose: the first whiff brings purple nail varnish (something between Gemey's Mellow Mauve and Maybelline's Mauve in Manhattan, for the connoisseurs), soon joined by leather pouches (I would say 'handbags' if I knew what they were!) Then, it is apricot clafoutis and plum tarts, yet not for long: chalk and shaving foam take over a second later. It then seems to settle for cologne and dried herbs in the fashion of an herbarium, with also a bouquet of freshly-cut forsythia in a vase, in the next room. Settle? No! The flowery touch grows in intensity and freshness, until that is met by a vaguely rancio-y elderberry cordial, macerated plums and a dollop of moustache wax. The second nose has something closer to chocolate -- maybe Brazil-nut butter? Panna cotta? Lastly, wormwood shows up. Mouth: the palate has plum wine from the get-go, fruity liqueurs (plum, blueberry, raspberry), more of that moustache wax, and mellow flower petals. That aside, I seem to detect some metal too, cutlery or otherwise, poached pears and poached quince. The second sip welcomes clementine segments, marinated in some kind of punch, tinned pineapple cubes, also soaked in punch or liqueur, and then the wood starts talking, softly, but recognisably. Apricot stones, walnut shells, teak furniture. In the long run, lychee makes an entrance, though it is drowned in liqueurs. Finish: a sponge cake, infused with fruit liqueur; mellow, soft, fruity, though it retains a gentle kick. At this stage, the wood influence is also more clearly felt, with a fair share of bitterness propped up by galangal, wormwood, walnut wood, apricot stones, both dry and oily, if that makes sense (roasted?) Macerated citrus makes a late comeback, unrecognisable, so long it has spent in liqueur. Soaked staves, on the verge of rot. After a while, lychee rocks up in the finish as well, also rather efficiently concealed by liqueur it is bathing in. Lychee liqueur it is, then. Pretty good, this. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, BB)