Never judge a dram by its colour

The first thing we noticed, pouring the samples, was the very pale colour which would indicate very little influence from the cask. But far from it, as warm, oaky, vanilla notes met citric fruits such as kiwi and lime, as well as floral aromas from a millefiori honey. This was fresh and clean, with plenty of zing on the palate, like a wake-up call with the sweetness of a marble chiffon cake, plus cocoa and vanilla swirls in the background. Water added a New York lemon cheesecake, elderflower and rhubarb pavlovas, and spicy gooseberry chutney on the nose. The taste had a peppery, cinnamon spiciness combined with menthol sweetness and a hoppy finish.