The dark, brooding nose has chocolate and marmalade cake, dark cherries, cinder toffee, orange Muscat wine and bramble liqueur; maybe some leather. The palate finds earthy, fruity flavours – fruitcake, damson jam, orange peel, cinnamon toast and cough syrup. The reduced nose gradually surrenders its secrets with spiced plums, orange Aero, sandalwood, mango stone, espresso, Peshawari naan and cherry Halls.

The reduced palate is like a metaphor for living – “sweetness and spice laced with mystery” – petits fours, moist ginger cake, Grand Marnier and tiramisu. After 17 years in a port pipe we re-racked this into a 2nd fill, high-toast/medium-char puncheon (made from European oak).