Description
72.109 Orchestral manoeuvres in the cask
The nose spiralled from earthy base notes of cask char, black pepper and rye through mid orchestra exotic woods into heavenly harmonies of toffee apples, rum fudge and lemongrass. The palate stirred deep swirls of ash and toasted oak up into malted biscuits and wood resins, with top notes of heather flowers and freeze-dried strawberries. Water sweetened the nose to crème brulée, manuka honey and Sauternes, with hints of orange, lemon, rosewater and tobacco. The palate found pumpernickel bread, muesli, almonds and ginger, maple-cured bacon and waxy cherries. After eight years in an oloroso butt we transferred this into a heavy-char first-fill puncheon.
68.91 Andalusia in a glass
The nose instantly evokes leather boots dancing on a wooden floor; also muscovado, tea chests, blackcurrant bushes and candied orange slices. The palate experiences a big bold red wine, cherry Tunes, sugared almonds and Brazil nuts, with a lingering finish of tobacco, menthol, ginger, nutmeg and clove. The reduced nose finds treacle, brandy snaps and sweet toasted coconut. On the palate we are now back in the flamenco tavern – manchego, matured Serrano ham, pipe tobacco and Mantecados de vino from Estepa. An Andalusian adventure in a glass. After ten years in ex-bourbon wood, we transferred this into a first-fill Oloroso hogshead.
149.4 A tasty morsel
A pleasant soft vanilla aroma greeted the Panel before the scent of freshly cut pine trees, gentle spices and a hint of sea salt took centre stage. On a freshly tarred boat we then bit into a spicy tuna salad nori wrap with quinoa and avocado before treating ourselves to a slice of strawberry toffee tart. Following reduction, we discovered baked new potatoes with a seaweed mayonnaise dip. This was served with a ‘sparkling galliano’ cocktail of grenadine juice, Galliano and champagne in a flute garnished with a cucumber slice. Creamy, salty and sweet on the palate with a floral fragrance, this was truly a tasty morsel.
