Douglas Laing Old Particular (distilled at Bowmore) 18 year old

The first thing to note is the strength. It’s surprisingly not that hot initially, rather there are hints of soft orchard fruits, gentle smoke, and seashells. With water, the fruits show up—mango and peach—but the alcohol is still masking things. Water goes in immediately to produce a palate that is cool, slightly sweet, with seashore notes, wet stones, and those fruits, but there’s still a real tension to the whole experience. For the brave. £110