Hillside 25yo 1969/1995

Hillside 25yo 1969/1995

Rare Malts, Official bottling
Single malt - East Highlands
Pale gold
61.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon juice, leather, prunes, sea salt, stables, dark chocolate, smoke, hints of pears. With water, lemon, vanilla, jasmine, green tea. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, sticky, thickens. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Leather, smoke, lemon curd, meringue, dark chocolate, raisins, prunes. With water, leather, stables, green tea, honey, jasmine. 
Finish: Medium. Celery, leather, dark chocolate, lemon curd, hints of black tea. 

Comments: 

Hillside is apparently what Glen Esk distillery was once called. This little gem has heaps of old bottle effect, plenty of leather and celery, but has a gentle smokiness wreathed through with lemon, jasmine and dark chocolate. Water opens it up, bringing some farmyard notes, but also green tea and honey.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.