On first nosing we were surrounded by “new-age shop” fragrance (incense), and very intense smoke. With time, we imagined an old desk with lining paper. Upon it sat a bottle of rose water, some pot-pourri, a bowl of dried raspberries and a sprig of scorched heather. A final hint of peppery pine-smoked salmon invited us to delve deeper. Plumes of burning heather to taste, toasty and nutty. The smoke grew, and finished with smoked bacon crisps and aniseed.

Water brought pencil shavings, herbal notes of rosemary and lemon thyme, and hot smoked salmon. The taste was still more savoury, like creamy whisky sauce poured on chicken stuffed with haggis. After 7 years in an ex-bourbon barrel, we transferred this to a custom new oak barrel with a #4 char and heavily toasted heads.