3 years old, distilled 12th January 2015, 61.2% abv, First-Fill Ex-Oloroso Hogshead, 297 bottles, dram price C

The nose has toffee apples, armagnac, fudge and hints of golden syrup. The mouthfeel is decent, with no cling. The body has lightly burnt brown sugar, golden syrup, sultanas, orange peel, and ginger bread. The finish has golden syrup, armagnac, fudge and ginger bread.

Water brings out thin, rapidly expanding whorling that settles into brief mottling. The nose gains cherry lips, orange oil, and hints of honeycomb - and more armagnac notes. It loses the toffee apples, fudge and golden syrup. The body gains treacle, cognac and lemon, and loses the golden syrup and ginger bread. The finish gains cognac and treacle with orange oil and cherry lips.

This is wonderful, and yet also very strange. It's as though armagnac and whisky had a lovechild, and neither one of them wants to admit it's theirs. But it's still done well - at this young age the spirit is showing tremendous promise, with really great integration of flavours from the cask.

One for after dinner.

Technical score: 5/5

Personal preference: I'd like a bottle.