Oranges and well-danced upon oak

The nose was very evocative of Andalusia – orange peel, custard tarts, sandalwood incense, prunes, jamon Serrano, well-danced upon oak, cheroots and leather saddles. The palate had a definite ‘wow’ factor – juicy figs, cherry jam, dark chocolate-coated Brazil nuts, red laces, stem ginger, rum baba and sherry over ice-cream. If anything, the reduced nose was a magic carpet ride to a more Eastern landscape of raisins, honeyed desserts, dates, sherbet and passionfruit. The complex palate had sugar-coated almonds, mulled wine, cinnamon buns, figs and Amarena cherries. After five years in ex-bourbon wood we moved this into a first-fill Spanish oak PX hogshead.