Taster

Nose: Takes a moment to come to life, but patience pays off and rewards with blood orange, fresh lemon juice, oak spices and a hint of patchouli.

Palate: Has sherry cask written all over it. Sweet tea, red fruits and the familiar spices one would expect from an Oloroso cask. Warming and well balanced, we doff our cap to the cask which cradled this.

Finish: Warm, gingery and delicious. Some copper but mostly spices and fruits.

Comment: Often sherry casks can overpower. Here everything works in partnership. An example of togetherness being better.

Score: 8.9

Taster

Nose: Youthful, dark, malty and herbal. Balsamic hints with some dried, pruney fruit and dark grains. Intense with an earthy character. A touch of lanolin, musk and earthy spice appear.

Palate: Soft and very coffeed. The dark grains, malt and treacle go head to head. A touch of sherried dried fruit with cocoa and spice notes.

Finish: Long and spicy with a soupçon of tannin, but a shed load of dark, grainy spices! The spices become rye-like in their intensity and a bitter chocolate after-taste.

Comment: Whisky and dark chocolate, a great combination, especially in the same glass!

Score: 8.6