Taster

Nose: Oiled leather, freshly charred oak, and star anise. Eraser rubbings and a whiff of felt-tip pen. Coal dust and subtle vaseline.

Palate: Light bodied. Liquorice, fresh red apple, caramel sauce, nutmeg, and soft brown sugar. Sweet worts straight from the underback and amaretto over sponge cake.

Finish: Medium, with the sweet cereal notes fading out to apple.

Comment: A light and approachable spirit for those who like a dram that’s smooth as silk.

Score: 7.6

Taster

Nose: Barley sugar. Poppy and sunflower seed-topped bagels. Raw pizza dough and rapeseed oil. A saline minerality, too. A hint of passionfruit purée and vanilla syrup. Straw and sultana.

Palate: Light bodied. Peach fruit-and-barley cordial. A touch of bonfire smoke. Raisin and oatmeal cookies and a little milk chocolate. A hint of ground coriander and fennel seed. Later, cooked apples.

Finish: Long. Grassy and drying, with hints of corn kernel and wood smoke.

Comment: Not what I was expecting from Speyside, but it held my interest.

Score: 8.1