DISTILLATION PARTNERS Theres some peated Glenturret in there, a bit of Caol Ila, Glenrothes, Ben Nevis and some Dalrymple (a tea-spooned malt from the Ailsa Bay Distillery).

MATURATION Oloroso Sherry Cask

SENSORY Deep mahogany with a rich Oloroso Sherry seasoned oak nose. Hints of cigar box, dried raisins, dark plums and festive spice. Palate shows charred Christmas cake ends, cigar box, gingerbread, burnt orange peel, smoked bacon. The finish is long, warming and lingering, balancing barbeque smoked meats with brown sugar, ginger and cinnamon.

CIGAR PAIRING Maduro (meaning mature in Spanish) cigars are made from extra fermented and slow aged tobacco leaves and tend to be sweeter and darker than others. The Whisky Cellars Keith Bonnington suggests:

1. Padron 1926 Series No. 35 Maduro (notes of coffee, pepper, cedar wood, leather and caramel)

2. Cohiba Black Robusto Crystal (notes of cocoa and coffee)

3. Camacho Triple Maduro (notes of earth and spice). Equally good with a cup of freshly brewed Arabica coffee, a densely sweet after-dinner dessert or a piece of dark chocolate (the minimum 70% cocoa fat version).