The complex, intriguing nose had various facets – spun sugar and Crunchie bar sweetness; lavender and polished wood; tar, treacle toffees and black tea; rich Morello cherries, dates and walnuts; finally, pleasant maple, vanilla and pumpkin spice. The unreduced palate had parma violets and fizzers, slight mintyness and lots of muscovado, treacle, burnt sugar and dark toffee. The nose became even more sophisticated with water – orange oil, barley sugar, leather, sauna heat, burnt wood and caramel. The reduced palate was reasonably lively with great texture, warm spices, attractive sweet woody flavours and a wonderful afterglow. The distillery lies just outside Tain.