All-round sweet and sensual

The nose found crème brûlée and raspberry sauce on chocolate ice cream, but the main impression was clean and floral – honeysuckle, rose, orange blossom and holiday hotel bougainvillea. On the palate, thyme, basil and rosemary herbals faded before a sweeter sensuality of blackcurrant cordial and lozenges, plus apricot and orange. On the nose with water, coconut macaroons and tea cakes kept up the sweet strain but the floral now veered towards tropical fruits. The palate had the strange juicy dryness of pomegranate, oak tannins and winter spice (clove and cinnamon). This PX-seasoned first fill barrique took over from a ex-bourbon hogshead after eight years.