Big, bold and oh-so smoky

We sat round a beach bonfire, with aubergines charring in the embers for some proper baba ganoush; while some of us thought there was maybe a sea battle going on in the distance. The palate was big, bold and smoky; porridge made with smoke-damaged oats, grilled lamb skewered on rosemary sprigs, focaccia, porchetta, basil pesto and smoked salt on tomatoes. The reduced nose found burnt herbs and balsamic, barbecue gloves, ash, tar and a fisherman’s jumper. On the palate, candied oranges and gummi bears, smoked mackerel pâté and barbecued Italian sausages came to the fore – solid and rewarding. After 10 years in ex-bourbon wood, we transferred this whisky into a refill HTMC hogshead.