Cask No. 1.218

Cask No. 1.218     

Dessert triptych : hessian meringue

Speyside, Spey

A gentle and inviting nose of crushed monkey nuts, cocoa powder, fruit and nut chocolate bars and emulsion paint. Underneath there's sweet notes of aged Sauternes, some raisiny old armagnac, dark chocolate and damp earth dusted with cinnamon and wheat beer. Reduction gives Tunnock's tea cakes, Chinese five spice, boozy morello cherries and dried apricots. The palate opens with smouldering incense, pine resin, petrichor and smoky paprika. There's treacle toffee, old style oloroso, cloves, cinnamon swirls, prune juice and malt extract. Water brings an appetising warmth, lots of sweeter sherry notes, sootiness, ginger and carrot cake, peanut brittle and a zing of sherry vinegar. Complex, intricate and compelling stuff!