Taster

Nose: Very aromatic. A robust struggle between the claret's fruit-and-cedar notes and a confident Bowmore smokiness.

Palate: Bowmore beats Bordeaux.

Finish: Toffeeish (more port-like) fruit fights back convincingly. Oak keeps the contestants apart. Finally a salty battle is won by the distillery character.

Comment: The fighter beat the boxer, but it was a wonderfully enjoyable contest.

Score: 9

Taster

Nose: Truly bizarre: the peat seems to have vanished and in its place is a distinctly winey spiciness.

Palate: A biting, puckering zingy, hot spicy attack that in some ways is not too far off a very young Talisker.

Finish: Rich, fruity, almost blackcurrant, then drier cocoa-coffee notes.

Comment: Worth trying for novelty value alone. Too much rough to go with the smooth.

Score: 6.5