- Nose
- A big sweet sherry-forward beginning with no abv sharpness. Big dark raisin notes, almost pan fried raisin, caramelised. Dates and stewed plums, both also very sweet. There's a slightly herbaceous savoury edge to the dark fruits but no sulphur or smoke. Dusty oak wood, old oak furniture, wood polish. A little chocolate, possibly even roasted hazelnut at the back. That herbaceous note settles to something wicker-like with a little time. Quite winey, but the fresh berry notes still shine through. Adding water mutes some of that aggressive sherry driven sweet-wine feel, opening things up for soft fruitiness and old books. A little clean leather as well.
- Palate
- To begin there's a huge flood of sherry-heavy sweetness; raisin, almond, plums, figs, blackberry. Lots of berries. Behind that there is a dark mellow honey carrying some grain and some nice herbaceous notes, green notes of fennel. The chocolate is more present in the palate, quite dark, a little salted. A bit of something approaching a cinnamon hard candy. And something faintly citric, like a gentle clementine. Both juicy and mouth-drying, with fresh fruitiness followed swiftly by dark dry oaky tannins. This does indeed feel like quite an active PX cask. To be frank, it almost (almost) feels more like drinking sherry than whisky. Water: With water the more bombastic sherry notes calm down a bit and there is more room for a bit of clean leather, old wood, something akin to fresh straw.
- Finish
- In the finish we have a subtle bitterness like red grape skin, bone dry oak tannins and a last hint of slightly savoury herbaceousness. Burned raisin, brown sugar, even something approaching a fruit flavoured tea. Interesting right to the end. The Empty Glass Smell: Distant raisin, overripe strawberry, hard candy, dried oak staves.
