Hellyers Road – 2004/2016 12 Year Old Slightly Peated Cellar Book (70cl, 64.5%)

This is a slightly peated Hellyers Road, distilled in 2004 and bottled in 2016 at 12 years old and 64.5%. It is a very small batch, blended from 8 small 100-litre casks holding the oldest slightly peated whiskies the distillery has made. The angel's share ran at between 6 and 7% a year. The nose is round and creamy, with liquorice-tinged peat, mirabelle plum jam, Williams pear and ripe mango, later turning chocolaty and herbaceous. The palate is firm and powerful, with dry, almost ashy peat and an intensely malty middle, then returning white fruit. The finish is long and silky, with ash, smouldering tobacco and a note of cucumber.