The initial nose suggested heather honey, dried flowers, hibiscus tea, malt loaf and natural liquorice. We also got winter herbs, bouillon stock, candied hazelnuts and treacle on brown bread. A wonderful sense of richness and texture. With water we found rapeseed oil, turmeric, cherry-scented nail polish and freeze-dried raspberry. A wee pouch of menthol tobacco left lying about somewhere in the background.

The arrival in the mouth was warm and rich with spices. Also thick notes of cod liver oil, waxes, black tea, miso paste, wintergreen and lemon cough drops. Reduction brought barley sugars, sweet milk stout, Caledonian ice cream, hot mash water, wild strawberry and mint tea. Extremely satisfying. Matured for five years in a bourbon hogshead before transfer to a 2nd fill heavy toast medium char hogshead.