The sherry and ruby port casks are named, but I wouldn’t assign either one sole responsibility for a particular flavour. The more useful story is the contrast: raisin and brandy-soaked prunes on the nose lead into chocolate-coated raisins, dark chocolate and vanilla cream on the palate. That’s a combination I’d generally welcome, especially with bittersweet cinnamon bark spice alongside the sweeter notes. The finish gives oak, cocoa powder, dryness and soft tannins a clearer role, while red berry sweetness lingers. I like that progression more than an unbroken run of jammy fruit; the drier ending sounds like a useful counterweight. There’s plenty going on, but the fruit and chocolate don’t have to do all the talking.
Reviewed by CinnamonCloud
- Nose
- raisin, brandy-soaked prunes, dark chocolate, toasted walnuts
- Palate
- chocolate-coated raisins, dark chocolate, vanilla cream, bittersweet cinnamon bark spice
- Finish
- oak, cocoa powder, dryness, soft tannins, lingering red berry sweetness