Tasting Notes

The nose transports us immediately to a drawing room where a decidedly decadent gathering has taken place not too long ago. Against a backdrop of freshly polished leather and light third-hand smoke, there are hints of blackberry jam, cherry sauce, spice cake, old armagnac and dried figs and prunes, but also cola cubes, liquorice allsorts and Turkish delights. On the palate, this is so rich and thick you can almost draw a line through it. Again, there’s plenty to enjoy here: orange marmalade, quince jam, a hint of sudachi, gingerbread, mole sauce, cough syrup (the kind you don’t mind taking), root beer and cayenne pepper brownies. The finish is mercifully long and lingering, with candied ginger, dark-chocolate-coated orange peel, salty liquorice and raspberry-chilli jam (bring your own scones) on the table. Enter this scene at your own risk – extricating yourself will turn out to be a painful concept.