Taster

Nose: Gingerbread, dark treacle, sherry wood, damp warehouses, caramelised oranges, lemon rind, a touch of cigar smoke, Fisherman's Friend lozenges, herbal.

Palate: Quite bitter, stewed tea tannins, that herbal edge, tomato stalks, Parma violets, thick Oxford marmalade.

Finish: Brief, drying with gripping wooded notes.

Comment: So much wood to get past but well worth the fight. This is a final night's dram.

Score: 7.9

Taster

Nose: Fresh pine sap, a deep dark spiciness, rich fruit cake and menthol tobacco notes open up beautifully. Behind this is a lingering cedar wood/sandalwood too, which a drop of water helps to focus.

Palate: More of the aromatic wood, with a strong tannic Darjeeling note, liquorice and a particularly robust claret.

Finish: The tannins refuse to leave, but so do the cedar wood notes.

Comment: For a ridiculously elderly gentleman, this still has plenty to entertain with. Perhaps the spiciest of the siblings so far.

Score: 8.6