Savour the savoury

A superb aroma greeted the Panel, one that recalled heather ales, salted dark chocolate, aniseed gobstoppers and chocolate-coated peanuts. In time we noted that it became gamey with leathery notes, plus umami vibes such as miso and salted liquorice. With reduction the nose doubled down on these savoury notes with some wonderful aromas of expensive soy sauce, treacle, tobacco leaf and dried mint. The palate when neat was similarly dominated by salty and umami sherry notes. This was rich, leathery, earthy and engaging every part of the mouth with camphor notes, hessian and squid ink. Water detonated wee fruit hand grenades everywhere: strawberry tarts, lemon sponge cake, blackcurrant coulis and blow-torched mango. Those gorgeous leathery and salty notes resurged in the aftertaste in pristine fashion. This was matured in a bourbon hogshead for 11 years before being transferred to a first fill Spanish oak oloroso hogshead.