In an apothecary’s drawers

The nose delivered red vermouth, crusted port, amarena cherries and cassis with hints of anise-flavoured liqueur, hessian and willow. The lip-smacking palate balanced sweet, sticky dates, figs and cherry pie with candyfloss sticks, black tea and an apothecary’s drawers. The reduced nose evoked a room with curtains of red and black liquorice, carpets of nettles and sage, and various freshly made jams on a rosewood table. The still potent palate arm wrestled our taste buds with muscles of raspberry, redcurrant and pomegranate (juicy but dry) and with sinews of dark chocolate, espresso, camphor and pine. This spent 13 years in ex-bourbon wood, before being transferred to a first fill alligator char hogshead.