Matured in a combination of Sherry, Virgin Oak and Bourbon casks. This exclusive limited-edition was the first of three limited editions launched in September 2014 and limited to 6000 bottles.
Appearance: Honey/gold. Lovely beaded swirl mark with random thick legs and a decent film coating the glass.
Nose: Definitely confectionary sugar forward. Like a sweet shop pick n mix. A lovely ABV wave greets the nose on each sniff, it noses at a higher %. There are also barrel char notes along with thick honey, butterscotch and a slight bourbon’esque note. There’s an almost creamy quality to the nose, a little ‘dairy’.
Palate: A pleasant creamy mouthfeel. Slight mint, slightly drying and light spices. Now, a new aroma to me is…… swimming pool air. That slightly chlorinated, aqua smell. The spices grow quite quickly, including white pepper and mild chilli. I’m not picking up much sherry influence, to be honest. Cherries in syrup appear next with very faint sulphur.
Finish: Long. Spice forward with a slight drying. The spice tingle lasts the longest, surpassing the struggling fruit that only manages a brief appearance.
Overall: Not convinced, unfortunately. It’s mainly spicy and tingly, but without any light or fruity notes to balance.
