Colour: vibrant orangey copper.

Nose: refined, complex. Lovely notes of apricot, almond and quince paste bring lots of nobility and drive to the first nose. Allowed to breathe, it gains even more depth. Bourbon vanilla, toffee and nectarine then arrive, enriching the aromatic palette. The sherry’s influence focuses on a wonderfully elegant oxidation (precious wood, brandied cherry). Gradually it becomes powdery (cocoa), spicy (ginger) and honeyed (pine, heather).

Palate: distinguished, precise. On the attack, lime blossom, infused verbena, apricot stone and orange zest play off one another with inspiration and eloquence. The mid-palate then focuses on malted barley and beeswax. This rich and sweet interlude leads to increasingly herbaceous tones (cut hay, straw). With time, dark chocolate and exotic fruits (mango, guava, persimmon) bring lots of style to the wonderfully long end of the palate.

Finish: long, silky. At the start of the finish, a thin layer of salted butter caramel gently covers the taste buds. Superb notes of leather and forest floor (porcini, moss) highlight the quality of the tertiary register. The retro-nasal olfaction reviews the same apricot, exotic and herbaceous flavours and aromas that have appeared throughout the tasting. The empty glass is then malty, chocolatey and spicy (cinnamon, candied ginger).