Cask No. 29.248

Cask No. 29.248

Creaking ships lost in the fog

Islay

Chewing on cherry cough sweets we stood on the tarry deck, peering into the fog that seemed to absorb the light from the paraffin lamps. The ship creaked with the waves and the scent of oak was heavy in the air. Aromas from the galley wafted up through gaps in the timbers and we could smell sweet wood smoke combined with burnt porridge and fruitcake. Peeling a waxy orange its oils sprayed into the air and mixed with passing droplets of seawater. A fruity note came from cherry and liquorice sweets as lobster nets rebounded off the sides of the thick hull with reverberating thumps. After spending 20 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead this was transferred to a 2nd fill charred red wine barrique for the remainder of its maturation.