The mesmerising and entrancing nose magicked a seventeenth century New England harvest festival – hay-cart, horse-drawn carriages, deep fruits, flowers, fruit chutney, pumpkin, nuts – it oozed fertile countryside and ripe contentment . With water, we found tobacco, dark chocolate, honey nougat, coconut and toasted marshmallows. The palate was ‘magnificent’ and ‘amazing’ – red fruits, nuts, leather, spice, pumpkin pie and dark chocolate with sea salt and caramel; lots of lip-smacking round the table. In reduction, we tasted coconut, whole cherries dipped in chocolate, party rings and iced caramels. ‘Ticks all the boxes’ the Vaults-master said, speaking for us all. From Dufftown’s oldest distillery.