Bunnahabhain 2013 Ex-Bourbon SMWS 10.284 59.1%

Treacle scone topped with hot-smoked salmon: that was the first impression of the Panel! This quickly evolved to include raw ginger cake batter, sauna wood, smoked almonds and shellfish broiled with seaweed. Water brought pickled sushi ginger, smoked sea salt and a sharp, mineral edge, plus lots of Asian vibes such as soy sauce, eel sushi, bonito flakes and wasabi. The neat palate detonated with wakame, balsamic, smoked prawns, ginger biscuits, barbecue-charred plums and seared beef. Water made it really fantastic, with brined herring, toasted sesame and a lovely, drying waxiness. The starting point for this small batch was two bourbon hogsheads of single malt Scotch whisky. They were each transferred to new casks at five years old. One cask was a first fill American oak PX hogshead, while the other was a second fill oloroso hogshead. The casks were then married together before bottling.