Taster

Nose: Shy at first despite its strength, but opens with gentle spice, lemon and ginger cordial. Red fruits and currants, then pine sap and eucalyptus with water.

Palate: A powerful blast of hot rubber tyre and quite leathery to taste at full strength. Salted caramel, chocolate and diluted blackcurrant.

Finish: A fiery start followed by a bitter finish.

Comment: I like the nose but the palate was too extreme.

Score: 7.2

Taster

Nose: Pungent and herbal, burnt toffee and chlorine. Chunky fat corn notes follow with earth and alcohol!

Palate: Drying and mouth puckeringly alcoholic. Quite spicy with hints of sweet corn and oak. Lightly smoky and earthy with some late herbal notes.

Finish: Neat, the alcohol masks the finish and only a touch of vanilla and light herbal notes are noticeable.

Comment: Apparently the casks are over 12 years old. Given this stuff tastes like it's half it's age, it will mature for decades. Maybe then it might gain some complexity!

Score: 7.8