Cask No. 70.64

A potpourri of candied walnuts, dried figs, treacle toffees and lovage cordial arrived alongside some quintessentially summery gin-based fruit cup to greet the Panel. On the palate we went from Britain to the Caribbean for some Jamaican sorrel, a drink served traditionally at Christmas. The ingredients: dried sorrel, sugar, fresh ginger, allspice berries, whole cloves, star anise and orange peel. After reduction we had skipped to France to open a bottle of pineau des Charentes before eating butterscotch pancakes topped with a compote of berries and, going full circle, a British summer fruit pudding. Following 14 years in an ex-bourbon barrel, we transferred this whisky into a first fill 300-litre Australian tawny cask.