The nose started out with wood polish and pear, before turning sweeter (strong honey, toffee crunch ice-cream). It also had a smoky, oily meatiness, like grilled lamb chops and a coal-miner’s overalls. The palate was somewhat challenging at full strength – putty, plasticine, tar and liquorice root but with big toffee and fudge sweetness. Water turned the nose cleaner – citrus, banana, candle-wax and honeycomb, but with distant singed mackerel or breakfast kipper. We agreed the reduced dram was eminently drinkable – bourbon cream biscuits and brandy snaps balancing leather, tar, tea-chests and engine oil. This distillery’s cast-iron mash-tun is painted bright red.