Compote in the Caribbean

A bowl of mixed berry compote drifted past us as we supped on a glass of Caribbean fruit punch. The nose was predominantly sweet, with honeyed fruit notes, while the palate introduced cupboard spices, roast chestnuts, and birch water served with a slice of apple pie. Water elevated vanilla and lanolin on the nose, joined latterly by honey-roasted parsnip and fennel. The palate now presented cinnamon and cedar, clove and cherries, cigars and coriander. After eight years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, we transferred this to a second fill hybrid American-European hogshead with toasted heads for the remainder of its maturation.