Dalwhinnie 1986 20 Year Old Official Limited Edition

As expected from Diageo's European oak casks. Dalwhinnie DALWHINNIE 1986-2006 20yo OB Limited Edition 56.8% Refilled European Oak Casks The aroma features rich sherry, prunes, berry jam, faintly Shaoxing wine and grape juice, with a rich, smooth mouthfeel expanding powerfully with the flavor of prunes, jam with retained juice, nuts, and a good astringency to deepen the taste, finishing with a rich and pleasant aftertaste. [Good/Very Good] This is the official limited release of Dalwhinnie 1986, bottled in 2006 after 20 years of aging. From the first aroma, it strongly conveys a rich sherry cask character, with a diverse and intense fruity sensation taking center stage. Upon tasting, the sherry influence remains prominent with a rich sweetness of concentrated fruits. The juicy freshness reminiscent of fruit juice was also an impressive characteristic. Although it's cask strength, the aged character has softened any roughness, with a well-balanced sweetness and astringency resulting in a refined and aromatic profile. 1986 is generally perceived as a period where Dalwhinnie, like many distilleries, produced fewer high-quality sherry casks, often with sulfuric notes. However, this is truly Diageo's quality, as they seem to have secured excellent casks. While the cask character dominates, I honestly felt little of Dalwhinnie's individuality, but it was still a highly satisfying bottle.