Nose

Feel the burn from that ABV… at once sweet (fruit cake characters of hazelnuts, walnuts, dates, nutmeg, ginger) and earthy (coffee grounds, forest floor). Sharp redcurrants at the back.

Palate

Sweet and nutty at first. Reminds me of golden syrup cake, with a zing of lime peel. Dried chilli flakes and pencil shavings bring some austerity towards the end.

Finish

Coffee and walnut cake, like your grandma used to make. This one likes to linger.

Comment

It’s a cake face-off at the local baking competition.