The morning's newspapers arrived, glazed with toffee sauce and warmed in the oven. A chunk of huckleberry taffy sat atop the radiator, tempting Panellists via sweet nostril incursions. The palate was akin to chardonnay-soaked Madeira cake, California raisins, mace and fennel shavings. Introducing water offered fruity accents, lemons and green apple segments showered with nutmeg shavings and a sea breeze on the nose.

And the palate followed suit, with the emphasis on green apple, limoncello and an underripe melon. After three years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, we transferred this to a re-charred refill hogshead for the remainder of its maturation.