Taster

Nose: Soft white fruits: peaches, green banana, dragonfruit, and sawn oak. Pine needles, and a little wasabi prickle. Pickled ginger and orange zest.

Palate: Medium, with lemon sherbet zing. Winter melon, delicate almond, and celery salt. Green apple and macadamia nuts. A little meatiness, like venison carpaccio.

Finish: Medium-short. As the heat subsides, the nuttiness builds.

Comment: A touch too hot for me.

Score: 7.6

Taster

Nose: Unsweetened applesauce, wheat cereal biscuits, golden syrup, and a whiff of carrot cake with cream-cheese frosting. Sage and tarragon. Desiccated coconut, sesame oil, and raw barley.

Palate: Medium bodied. Baked pears with butter and vanilla, spun sugar, carrot cake, herbal sage, rye bread, and shelled walnut. A little peach purée. Water brings more golden syrup and nuttiness.

Finish: Medium, and warming, with nutty granola and a hint of star anise.

Comment: A bold malt with some nice nuances. Needs a drop of water, though.

Score: 7.8