Enjoying such a whisky is getting ready. Before I settle down in my club chair, I take out my DALMORE walking glass and pour this pretty amber liquid into it. I cover the glass with its cover and put it in front of me. I light a chimney fire to enhance the atmosphere of the room.

I sit down and start to get impatient to taste this wonderful beverage. As I approach the glass from my nose, the bell rings! Not now, not here! I'm still going to check it out and meet Richard Paterson himself (@the_nose). Finally I was right to open, the tasting of extraordinary will become exceptional.

He sees the glass, the fireplace, the armchair... and smiles. "Well, I'll help you discover it". It takes the glass by the foot, so as not to alter the temperature of the liquid.

He told me to look first at his beautiful amber color that he took so long to create. He first passed his whisky through old barrels of Aloroso and Madeira, before passing it through Kentucky bourbon barrels and ending up in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels.   

He starts talking to the glass while carrying it on his nose! A first "Hello" brings out the malty aromas of whisky and already reveals some candied and gourmet fruits. A second "how are you?" develops aromas of brioches and vanilla creams in the nose. Finally, a third "fine thank you" turns the senses with orange. My head capsizes, I can't hold on any longer, I have to drip. He tells me to be careful because even at 40% it is lively and very complex.

I finally drank this liquid and directly discovered its power and richness. On Richard's advice, I swirl it in my mouth for almost 10 seconds to let it release its aromas.  The fruity power explodes on my taste buds. A first pass throws orange jam at me, a second pass throws roasted dried fruit at me. A third passage leaves me a slight bitter taste but a fourth one replaces it with red fruits and muscat grapes. My mouth is fogged up by all this complexity.

In the blink of an eye, he waved at me, it's time to let the liquid down into my stomach but also telling me that the adventure is not completely over. Indeed, from the back of my throat, peppery but also grassy notes reappear, like a galloping horse,!

What an experience that the 13th century Scottish king Alexander III would not have denied! Richard gets up, proud as always of his effect and goes back to his green Highland pastures and lets me relive the experience again in front of my fireplace.