Appearance: Very light, similar to diluted white wine. A very thin tide mark, made up of tiny beads, encircles the glass. After some time, the beads slowly morph into small teardrops and the occasional short thin to medium trail. A semi-viscous corrugated film forms on the inside of the glass.
Nose: Rhubarb and custard with a touch of black pepper to start. There are also mixed berries drizzled with honey and a pastry note too. A slight funk is lingering in the background, only apparent when moving away from the glass slightly. Some citrus notes appear after a while, specifically lime, along with non-descript tropical fruit elements.
Palate: A nice bakery sweet note, along with the black pepper and berries. A decent ABV heat supplies evidence of the cask strength. Wholemeal biscuits and bitter chocolate (so chocolate digestive) emerge next. The dram actually becomes quite savoury as it matures. There’s some astringency running through the palate, it’s not unpleasant, but I can’t help but feel it isn’t adding anything.
Finish: Black pepper, red berries and honey linger for a medium amount of time. The astringency is still there too but fades quickly.
Overall: I like it, but there are elements I could do without. I have very high expectations from these guys so I tend to be a little harsh when I come across elements I don’t like. Anyone else would probably love this!
