Touched by a bear's paw and claw

What a bouquet of aromas – teak oil, smoked walnut wine, sambuca with black liquorice flavour plus roasted pears, plums and peaches. To taste, a “muckle” (very large) hit of smoke like a steaming hot roasted red pepper, sweet potato and smoked paprika soup. After reduction, the scent turned into smoked blueberry pancakes and honey on burnt toast. On the palate, it conjured up images of not only a a bear’s paw – a European Christmas biscuit, with powdered almonds, nutmeg and dark chocolate – but also a bear claw, pastry filled with almond paste and raisins. Following nine years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, we transferred this whisky into a first fill American oak PX hogshead.