Sonia James
May 27, 2026, 02:55:07
Right, so this one pours a gorgeous deep mahogany-brown. You get this whiff of Grand Marnier and rum-soaked fruitcake straight away – not overly sherry-heavy, mind you, more like a fancy calvados. There's a hint of beeswax and camphor too, which sounds odd but works. First sip is just… opulent. Creamy, toffeeish, with loads of dark chocolate and ripe bananas flambéed. It's incredibly rich and dense, but not sticky or cloying at all. Totally balanced. You find cherries in kirsch, prunes, and that slightly burnt fruitcake note from the nose. It's like a liquid clootie dumpling with a dollop of fresh butter. The finish goes on forever, developing these acidulous orange rind and bitter chocolate notes, with a bit of leather coming through. Superbly integrated. Honestly, for something so demonstrative, it’s miraculous how it stays clean and not over-coating. A real thrill.
