The nose really grabbed our interest – so much in it – summer fruits, cherry Bakewell, apple and berry tea; maple syrup, toffee and Fry’s Turkish Delight; mulled wine, tobacco and old books. The palate was intense, sharp and tickly – tutti-frutti bubble-gum and apple sours crashed into darker, spicy flavours (chilli pepper, gingerbread, treacle scones) resulting in an explosion of taste.

The reduced nose – simply amazing – fruit-punch, black-jacks, tea chests, foamy shrimp sweets, wax and shoe polish. The palate lost some intensity but retained the sweet complexity of toffee apples, cinnamon, blackcurrant and lavender honey. The distillery was once protected by two pistols!