One of the most exciting realities in the world of whisky these days is the drive toward deepening the connection between place and spirit...the terroir of whisky, if you will. The Svensk Ek from Mackmyra is a great example of this, with locally sourced grains aged, mostly, in Swedish oak. The Swedish oak lends a unique profile to the dram; the nose has a perfumed quality to it, with allspice and sandalwood alongside vanilla and a grapey note. The palate comes loaded with juicy ripe fruit (especially stone fruit), a bit of vanilla, spice, a little salt, and a woody note. I couldn't help but think that this is what an Old Pulteney NAS might taste like, to a degree. This would be a slam dunk if it didn't taste so young; it's just a little too rough around the edges yet. That said, it's a delicious promise of good things to come with some extra maturation...and still pretty enjoyable to drink as is.