Taster

Nose: Minty. Oily. Parma violets.

Palate: Hard bitter chocolate. A praline filled with almond cream. Faintly smoky, suggesting coffee being roasted for espresso.

Finish: Rich black coffee, a quick splash of rum and crisp, stem-ginger, petit-fours.

Comment: Seductive. I found myself using such post-prandial language. Will she respect me in the morning?

Score: 8.5

Taster

Nose: Hauntingly perfumed. Complex, honeyed and soft: orange blossom, tangerine peel, poached peach, mint, smoky oak.

Palate: Ripe and soft, like orange honey dribbled on top of Greek yoghurt. Caramelised fruits, it gets creamier as it opens.

Finish: Dry and elegant with a little grippy wood.

Comment: Sophisticated stuff with a subtle southern charm. Classic Manhattan material.

Score: 8.5