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Nose: Herbal notes, with hints of vanilla and pear. Rich Turkish coffee mingles with honey-glazed ham lurking in the background. Fennel, scents of aniseed, green apple and leather. A sharp tang of smoke and a crack of fresh black pepper.
Palate: Rich, explosive mouthfeel bursts forth with chocolate and tar. A powerful blast of eucalyptus with antiseptic lozenges and aniseed. Raw, smoky intensity before smoked bacon and savoury meats sink into the palate.
Finish: The long, briny, salty mouthcoating finish retreats, with hints of cocoa and fudge slinking slowly away.
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Nose: Rich and weighty with heady and smoky aromatics. At full strength, the initial aroma is a beguiling mix of warm Christmas cake, walnut oil and parma violets fused with fresh ocean spice, cedar and pine needles falling from the Christmas tree. A smouldering coal fire and the scent of well-oiled leather brings warmth. The sweetness of treacle toffees and chocolate-coated raisins emerge through the smoke. With water, the deep smokiness increases in intensity, reminiscent of a fired Christmas pudding. Rich flowering currants and warm baked banana and walnut bread are served with simmering mocha espresso.
Palate: Full flavoured and rich with a deep mouth-coating texture, the taste is an intriguing balance between sweet, spicy and deep smoky flavours. The flavour is initially sweet. A burst of winter spices sets off a smoky-spicy explosion countered by a sumptuous mid-palate of honey glazed smoked food and chewy treacle. Waves of deep smoky tones and rich aromas build up on the palate like a fine Montecristo cigar.
Finish: Amazingly long and chewy with lingering raisiny, deep mocha tones and rich aromatic smoke into the perfectly integrated finish.
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