Taster

Nose: Freshly dipped toffee apple, stewed orchard fruits, sublime vanilla, a waft of the faintest floral peat smoke and then into some riper summer fruits.

Palate: Dry, a sprinkle of powered liquorice, fresh orange zest, a return of the toffee apple, but also a darker, slightly more bitter caramel.

Finish: The oak takes a big feisty bite and leaves no prisoners. Alongside, a thread of \rthe vanilla returns.

Comment: A wonderful nose with an equally cracking palate, let down a little by the dominance of the oaky dominance at the end.

Score: 8.3

Taster

Nose: Obvious sherry influence. Dried fruit. Apricot, dates, candied orange and kumquat. Cardamom, cinnamon. Complex, old. Damp cellar with even a musty character. A hint of passion fruit.

Palate: Sweet at first then the oak speaks up. Assertive but not aggressive. Plenty of passion fruit and liquorice. Reminds me of very old cognacs. The alcohol is not biting.

Finish: Lingering, liquorice, oak and some walnuts too.

Comment: All the components of an old fellow. The ideal after - dinner dram.

Score: 8.7