Released in 2018, NCF, NC & matured in Pedro Ximénez, Oloroso, 1st- and 2nd-fill ex-bourbon & virgin American white oak casks.
Appearance: Mahogony/dark ale. A thin film coats the inside of the glass with a hairline swirl mark. A few log medium legs form quickly with Minimal beading or tear drops.
Nose: Brown and confectionary sugars merge, sweet milky coffee, stewed apples and bananas. The nose is lovely and rich. That dark milk chocolate they do now, raisins and a touch of funk towards the finish. For a 12yo this is a very luxurious nose, loads going on and very aromaful. The sugary sweetness increases as the glass mature, as does a red apple note. Foam sweets also start to appear now. Once I begin to sip there’s peach on the nose too.
Palate: A semi-viscous mouthfeel, to be honest, I was expecting nothing but butter from the richness of the nose but that may have been asking too much. Pine freshness, black pepper and a touch of oaky dryness. There’s a sharp syrupy fruit note at the back of the tongue which relieves an otherwise savoury palate. Sponge cake and subtle lemon syllabub make a late appearance.
Finish: The finish is short to medium. It gets a bit acidic and tannic, with no sweetness to speak of. A touch of black pepper.
Overall: I love the nose, especially for a 12yo, it’s up there with the best of this age. The palate for me was just lacking something to make it taste as great as it smelt. Maybe a touch more sweetness would balance out the mostly savoury flavours. That said, it’s impressive for a 12-year-old overall!
