Cask No. 36.225

The nose suggested honey on toast, toffee and various fruits (zesty citrus, ripe melon, banana split, and strawberry), as well as basketry, pencil shavings, hessian and straw. The palate balanced vanilla marshmallow twists, dark toffee and sugared-almond sweetness with spicy after-tingles of oak, pepper and ginger – which ended with a kind of synthesis of ginger pieces in dark chocolate. Adding water brought out aromas of brandy snaps, dried mango pieces, apple crumble, polished wood and forests after rain. On the palate, orange zest and gooseberry astringency now counterpointed a more celebratory sweetness of birthday cake and American cream soda, with hot cross buns to finish.