This is one of the early releases from New Zealand’s Cardrona Distillery. The nose has notes of vanilla beans, barley sugar, muted spices, butterscotch candies, and honey. The taste is spicy, young, and fiery with touches of black pepper and clove balanced by honey, butterscotch, and oak. A few drops of water will bring out the woodiness while barely taming the spices on the palate and adds a touch of shortbread cookies as well. The finish is medium-length, oaky, and slightly dry with a touch of lingering spices. It would be interesting to taste a future version of this with more time in the cask.