Taster

Nose: Orange cough sweets, chocolate-coated raspberries. Chocolate brownies and caramel sauce, syrup waffles. Toffee Crisp bars. Chilli peanuts and wasabi peas.

Palate: Drinking chocolate laced with whisky and maple syrup, toasted peanuts and chocolate Hobnobs. A little bitter oak.

Finish: Drys with that maple syrup sweetness and a little tobacco smoke bitterness.

Comment: Despite the searing ABV there is flavour here, in time it reveals a balanced character. Water ramps up the sweetness.

Score: 8.1

Taster

Nose: Stewed apple, gala melon, mango and tropical fruit salad, a hint of saddle leather, prosciutto and lardo, then floral notes of apple blossom and greenhouse tomatoes.

Palate: Golden syrup sweetness up front, sugar cookies, toffee pennies, vanilla, then blueberry muffins, Eccles cakes.

Finish: Gentle cinnamon spice and warming ginger too.

Comment: Starts off a little shy and then sweetness all the way.

Score: 7.5