This nose was never far from the sea – seaweed-covered rocks, sea-breezes, whelks, golden sand and ship’s timbers – but we also got wood-smoke and fireplaces, syrupy pancakes, pepper, lemon peel and minty toothpaste. The tongue-numbing, lip-licking palate had sweet, floral smoke (elderflower, lavender, violets), lemon and orange peel in bittersweet marmalade and touches of tobacco and eucalyptus on the finish. The nose turned fresher with water – succulent samphire, furniture polish, laundry, lime and harbours. Water made the palate less intriguing, more straightforward but still elegant – beach barbecues and lemon and white pepper over smoked salmon. From the 1779 distillery on Lochindaal.