Taster

Nose: Very big and meaty, but with some juicy red berry fruit notes. Think venison cooked with plums and cooking apples. Real quality whiskey making here.\n

Palate: Delicious palate, just dry enough, taking influence from the wood without losing an energy to the flavours. This could be sipped as well as mixed. Versatile flavours.

Finish: Fascinating, tastes almost exactly like a Sazerac cocktail. Some star anise, cherry and sweet sugar.\n

Comment: I liked this spicy, oaky number. Any longer in a cask and it would be too dry, but this was big, bold and brash!

Score: 9.1

Taster

Nose: Complex, intense, pungent dark treacle, huge spices and an Armagnac rancio of dark pruney fruit. Tart citrus, dark chocolate, coffee, dusty violets and thick, well-behaved oak.

Palate: Light and elegant with juicy, chunky, raisinated Armagnac fruit. So succulent with leather, tobacco, smoke and violets. Drying dark chocolaty tannins come through on the middle.\n

Finish: Intense, herbal marc-like notes and eye-wateringly, biting, bitter chocolate. Treacle and restrained oak balance.\n

Comment: Monstrous but elegant and complex. What would it have been like at cask strength?!

Score: 9.6