Taster

Nose: Sitting among roses, jasmine and orange blossom. A penny-sweet bag. An orange drizzle cake on the side.

Palate: Light-bodied. Vanilla-and-lemon unbaked cake mix mingles with pine resin, menthol, zippy white pepper, chilli flakes and sea salt. Cured meat on the mid-palate too.

Finish: Tingling spice heat continues after everything else dissipates.

Comment: The aromatics are almost railroaded by the spices… but not quite. In the end, it comes up smelling of roses.

Score: 8.3

Taster

Nose: Green apples, haybarns, and soft fruits. Admittedly it’s a bit of a timid affair, but nice enough. Crème caramel and limes. Milk chocolate and Black Forest Gâteau.

Palate: A pleasing mineral note with grapefruit, melon and pineapple notes, underscoring a heft of golden syrup. A salty vanilla note that eventually dominates the mid-palate, with gentle wood tannins.

Finish: Apple juice, white grapes, with a twist of black pepper and some brine.

Comment: At times timid, but a fine dram.

Score: 7.9