Tasting Notes
The nose on this one was veritably oozing sweet and herbally-infused peat smoke, brimming and tipping out of the glass with aromas of aged tar liqueur, resinous fir wood, gentian eau de vie and salted liquorice. It was a mighty and quite stunning aroma. Reduction brought smoked mussels in brine, smouldering wood embers, toasted walnut and tar extracts cut with raw seawater. The palate was just immensely tarry and peaty, but with a weight of cured and salted meats adding fatness and texture. We also got pickled walnuts, bacon jam, cornichons in brine and anchovy paste. Someone wrote 'mental'. When water was added it eased to a low-level throb of charcoal, peated olive oil, tar, bitumen, cola syrup mixed with root beer cordial and hot smoked paprika. Just as well this was the last dram of the Panel! This was matured in a bourbon hogshead for five years before being transferred to a first fill American oak PX sherry hogshead.