Mackmyra Preludium 03 (Sweden) / 52.2% / 0.5l

The owners of Mackmyra Distillery began experimenting with whisky production in 1999 and after two years they focused on two formulas – Elegant and Smoke.

All ingredients except yeast are sourced from producers within a 75-mile radius of the plant, and the whisky is matured in an abandoned mine up to 50m below the surface. The Preludium series was released in 2006-2007. It consisted of six editions, each the result of a different experiment. Mackmyra Preludium: 03 was released in October 2006 in a limited edition of 17,000 bottles. It is called Sherry & Svensk Rök (Sherry and Swedish Smoke) and is the first to be finished in 8-litre sherry casks.

Aroma : fruity and buttery, slightly smoky, apples, pears, peaches, raisins, vanilla, honey, milk chocolate, traces of pine needles and oak.

Taste : fruity, raisins and sultanas, dried figs and dates, milk chocolate, honey, vanilla, a pinch of salt and a trace of smoke in the background.

Finish : medium long, with notes of vanilla, buttered toast, dried fruit, sherry, oak and a light hint of smoke in the background.