Rest & Be Thankful Long Pond LSO 1998

Rest and Be Thankful takes Long Pond, the historic Wedderburn house of Trelawny, to 25 years here under the LSO mark from the 1998 vintage, drawn as a single cask. Long Pond can be funky and polarising, but this long-aged version leans dry and savoury rather than wild.

Matured in ex-bourbon wood, much of it likely continental given how gracefully the strength sits at 58.6%, it keeps a restrained, savoury nose of fruit, nuts, citrus and oak, then opens on the palate into citrus, roasted wood, coffee, herbs and a light honeyed sweetness. The finish brings anise, citrus and a woody, coffee-tinged depth, with medium esters and a faintly bitter almond note. Bottled unsweetened, it is age-driven and layered, best taken neat with time to unfold. It suits drinkers stepping into drier, more layered Long Pond and happy to give the glass patience.