Aquavit Strøm, La Roja, 43° (50 cl)

Here's a new producer playing the local and organic card. In this case, it's the La Roja distillery, which - as well as gin - produces another spirit that's all the rage across the Atlantic at the moment: aquavit. A Scandinavian cousin of gin, it features caraway and dill. Finally, Melquiades grain brandy is produced like a Bourbon and aged for 16 months in new casks, then matured for 6 months in PX Sherry casks and a further 6 months in vats, before bottling. This whisky, which doesn't bear the name, is more than original, it holds its own and won't look out of place in a Scottish series.