At first nosing we got brown bread spread with treacle, chocolate sauce, macadamia nuts, maple syrup and Madeira cake, plus shoe leather, putty, youthful calvados and singed raisins. Some water brought out intriguing suggestions of caramelised apricots, walnut oil, chewy Highland toffee, thick mulchy earthiness and plum wine with a kiss of rancio. The palate was initially sweet, with runny honey, sultanas and fig paste, with subtler notes of hazelnut liqueur, rum fudge and linseed oil in the background.

Reduction brought further notes of fresh figs, orange cocktail bitters, mine must, leaf mulch, cellar earth and black coffee. After being matured in a bourbon hogshead for 12 years, this was transferred to a 1st fill Spanish oak Oloroso hogshead.