Prima & Ultima Cragganmore 48 year old 1973, 44.8%

Drawn from the oldest casks from the distillery's steam-driven stills era, the beguiling nose has a honeyed intensity of vanilla cream, Quaker Oats, ripe stone fruit, mango, fresh tropical fruits, ground almond, and candied orange. The tart bitter-orange flavors are mouth drawing, with peppercorn, walnut, and a jungle of oaky tannins. It's very dry, with a finish of slightly tough dried fruit, falling short of Diageo's sublime 1973 original. (351 bottles) £36,500/set