Taster

Nose: Soft and gentle, cider presses and paper bags of apples. Some milk chocolate buttons and vanilla cream. There’s a damp wine cellar side to this.

Palate: Plenty of sweetness comes through with pears in cider, apples and honey. A slight savoury note is present too, air-dried ham and quince relish spread on top.

Finish: Warming and long, takes its time slowly drying with those apple notes.

Comment: A perfect dram for apple day, or any day for that matter.

Score: 7.2

Taster

Nose: Poached pear, apple sauce and hay. Candy-shop aromas, with butter toffee, white chocolate and boiled sweets. There’s a very faint rubbery note, like a bag of balloons. Behind it all, cupcakes with butter icing.

Palate: Great mouthfeel. A textbook example of orchard fruitiness, with a little hickory. Then a cup of Horlicks malt drink, or perhaps warm soy milk, with a toffee apple and slice of pear tarte.

Finish: The fruit, toffee and milky notes linger.

Comment: It has all the aromas of a good birthday party! Complex and delicious.

Score: 8.9