House of Hazelwood The Charles Gordon Collection 50 year old The Next Chapter, 45.3%

Distilled in 1972 and matured for 35 years in European and American oak casks, the next chapter refers to its 15 year secondary maturation in a fresh bourbon cask. It’s vibrant in the glass, with golden syrup, vanilla toffee, oatmeal cookies, raisin, and cinnamon breakfast cereal aromas. The bourbon influence leads the palate with vanilla, honey, sweet marzipan fruits, banana chips, and warm citrus. It’s momentarily mouth-drawing, then a growing oakiness ushers in a gentle finish of cinnamon and wood spices. (157 bottles, 52 for the U.S.)