The malts of the island from which this distillery takes its name (opened in 1995) were once ranked second only to those of Speyside, yet only one (closed in 1837) was licensed. This example has a deep, rich hue. The nose is relatively closed to start with, then reveals scorched coffee, burnt Xmas cake, liquorice and ginger, with glazed ham studded with cloves. Unreduced, the taste is sweet, hot and peppery, with burnt dried fruits. Water raises leather notes (the scent of Hippie Afghan coats), struck matches, salted potato skins and more Xmas cake, and now the taste has treacle sponge, with ginger and spice, developing into deep chocolate.