Cask No. 100.46

The colour has to be seen to be believed. Aroma descriptors followed suit – strawberry pop tarts just out of the toaster, blackcurrant squash and, slightly more upmarket, a champagne, cranberry, and cognac and bitter orange liqueur cocktail. On the palate this was fairly tannic and astringent at first before it developed a chunky sweetness of prune juice, and sautéed apples with brown sugar and cinnamon. Water added an afternoon tea with scones, clotted cream and strawberry jam next to a pot of rosehip tea. On the palate, the still grippy tannins were now well balanced by a fruity sweetness. Following seven years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, we transferred this whisky into a first fill Australian shiraz barrique.