Silver Seal Uitvlugt Demerara 1998

Silver Seal bottles unsweetened single casks in the purist style, and this 1998 Uitvlugt reaches nineteen years from the refined Savalle column marque, the fruity, lightly spiced and clean side of Demerara. Bottled at cask strength, 52.1%, from ex-bourbon, it shows that marque rounded out by tropical ageing.

The nose is woody and spicy with dried fruit, citrus and hints of banana and light rubber, the palate turns nutty and woody with more dried fruit and coffee, and the finish carries allspice, wood, leather and a touch of sweetness. It drinks round and balanced, the strength well integrated, with fresh, roasted and floral edges keeping it lively. This is a well-composed old Uitvlugt that sits comfortably between weight and lift, an honest cask-strength Demerara for drinkers who want depth without heaviness.