Teerenpeli – Savu (50cl, 43%)

Savu is a Finnish single malt from the Teerenpeli distillery in Lahti, bottled at 43% in a 50cl bottle. It is neither chill-filtered nor coloured. The malt is peated to around 30 ppm and matured in a vatting of 80% bourbon casks and 20% Pedro Ximénez sherry casks, a ratio settled through blind tastings with brand ambassadors and visitors to fairs. It was the first smoky whisky in the distillery's regular range, and fresh fruit and malty sweetness meet smoke and a salty, salmiak-like spice. The nose is fresh fruit and light smoke, with fresh barley, a touch of butterscotch and oak. The palate is soft and balanced, with malty sweetness and smoke against salty salmiak, plus liquorice and a little white pepper. The finish carries liquorice, sweetness, smoke and an ashy note as the spice fades.