87 / 100
The old-school sherry and chocolate have a strong counterweight in the sooty smoke, giving this a more savoury cast than a straightforward sweet sherry style. I like the contrast of forest fruit jam and burnt caramel with the palate’s tannic, winey edge; that texture keeps the sweetness from taking over. Sulphur is a clear part of the picture, so this feels deliberately rugged rather than polished. The long, sweet-and-sour finish, with coffee, smoke and liquorice, makes for a convincing cask-strength character.
Reviewed by honeycomb.sparrow
- Nose
- Old-school sherry, Sooty smoke, Chocolate, Roasted chestnuts, Wet earthy notes, Cinnamon, Hints of mint
- Palate
- Smoky, sulphury notes, Forest fruit jam, Chocolate, Candied ginger, Burnt caramel, Tannic, winey edge
- Finish
- Long, sweet and sour, Dark coffee, Smoke, Peppery oak, Lingering peat and liquorice