Girvan – 1989 31 Year Old Xtra Old Particular (Douglas Laing) (70cl, 56.9%)

This is a 31-year-old single grain whisky from Girvan, distilled in December 1989 and matured in an ex-bourbon cask. Douglas Laing bottled it in June 2021 for its Xtra Old Particular series, at a natural cask strength of 56.9% in a 70cl bottle. It is a single cask release of 206 bottles, with no added colour and no chill-filtering. The nose combines vanilla cream and dried fruit with a touch of oak spice. The palate is full, with ripe berries and caramel and hints of cinnamon and nutmeg. The finish is long and warm, with vanilla and oak fading gently.