Taster

Nose: Lovely and complex, with lots of sticky figs, dates and plum sauce, and sweet onion chutney. Burnt toffee, vanilla, molasses balanced by ginger, almonds and apricots.

Palate: Maple syrup, stem ginger, black tea, with raspberry jam and… vanilla. It’s well-executed stuff: cherries, cloves and nutmeg, with a little custard and baked sponge.

Finish: Hugely warming, with ginger, cloves and cinnamon lingering.

Comment: Excellent. Rounded, full of flavour, not too overpowering. Balanced.

Score: 8.7

Taster

Nose: Takes a little time to warm up, then cherry bakewell pies, icing, fondant and glacé cherry. Plenty of wood vanilla too. A real perfume note lurks with lavender, lemon peel and bergamot.

Palate: Big, punchy and warming. Baked apple and cinnamon, but with a lovely black pepper tingle. Huge vanillas and thise cherry pie notes.

Finish: Drying at first with lovely spiced butter notes then waves of cinnamon, all spice and cream return.

Comment: A big boned Bourbon, the tingling, numbing spices are impressive. Great fun.

Score: 9.1