Taster

Nose: A freshly baked loaf of brioche bread with milk chocolate. Tangy whole dates, with lots of red fruits bringing some rich jammy notes. A hint of ginger spice, too.

Palate: The baked goods become more like fruit cake, with chopped cherries, candied peel, raisins and orange peel. There’s some clotted cream and stem ginger in there, too.

Finish: A malty hint before the ginger dries it all out.

Comment: This is a bit of a treat and the perfect winter warmer, bringing those rich and complementary notes over and over.

Score: 8.5

Taster

Nose: Liquorice stick, unlit pipe tobacco, raisins, cola cube candy and black cherry. Blackcurrant wine gums, dark roasted coffee beans, cinder toffee and some subtle black bean sauce.

Palate: Light bodied. Well-integrated flavours of damson plum jam, blackberry, milk chocolate, and unlit cigar. Subtle peanut.

Finish: Medium. Fruit and nut chocolate bar, then rice paper.

Comment: Well-rounded, with little of the heat one expects from the ABV. Has big flavours and presents them well.

Score: 7.9