AUCHENTOSHAN 20 ans 2000 French Connections S.V

Nez : refined, balanced. The very rich first nose is fruity (pear, Mirabelle plum), medicinal (ointment, band-aid), profoundly malty, honeyed (acacia) and floral (lily, iris). Allowed to breathe, spices (black palette, clove), red fruits (raspberry, strawberry) and vanilla bring lots of fullness and serenity to the aromatic palette. Gradually, this becomes increasingly heady (cornflower, violet, geranium) and mineral (limestone, slate). Magnificent.

Apparence : deep golden yellow.

Bouche : lively yet creamy. Lively due to its incredibly precise citrus notes (lemon, grapefruit) and creamy due to its vanilla and praline flavours with an exquisitely delicate texture. The very slender mid-palate is spicy (cumin, ginger, nutmeg), lush (alfalfa, clover) and of course intensely malty and fruity (pineapple, pear, quince). Beaming with maturity, the end of the palate takes us through undergrowth (porcini, moss, pine resin).

Finale : long, superbly well-balanced. Marvellously embodying the Auchentoshan style from the start of the finish, grains of malted barley take on honey (lavender), floral (violet, old rose), mineral (charcoal, ink) and roasted (coffee, mocha) tones. Gradually, remarkably precise flavours of white mint, mimosa and aromatic plants (sage, verbena) transcend the flavour palette. On the retro-nasal olfaction, barley grain, orange blossom and the same white mint adorn the captivating flavours of the very end of the palate. The empty glass is medicinal (arnica), toasted (grilled bread) and vanilla.