Convalmore is a familiar face in the Diageo Special Releases line-ups, with the 2017 outturn marking the closed distillery’s fourth appearance in the series. And this superb 32 year old shows exactly why the malt has earned its place. Vibrant and complex with an impeccable balance between distillery character and oak, the liquid is from refill American oak hogsheads and is bottled at a natural cask strength of 48.2%. Only 3,972 bottles of this delight have been released.
Nose: Initial Dolly Mix with floral notes at full strength, taking it into Jelly Tot territory too. Barley sugar develops with a touch of tangerine, apple and cedar. Impressive.
Palate: Soft oak and spice with some orange and tomato stem. Adding just a little water transforms the texture of this malt, however, as well as releasing more intense herbal notes.
Finish: More gentle oak, birch sap and oatcakes. Some biscuits too, including Hobnobs.