The sherry influence dominated, almost overpowered the nose – layers of wood (cedar, polished furniture, varnished wood, wood-sap, salted peanuts, matchbox) and tons of treacle; plus toffee, tobacco, syrup of figs, leather, orange and gammon cooked in coca-cola. The unreduced taste was huge and mouth-drawing – a real ‘stoater’ but, being close to the edge of extreme; maybe not for everyone. We loved the flavours of honeycomb, dark chocolate, salty ham, pipe tobacco, toffee, toasted hazelnuts and oaky tannins. Water brought sugared almonds, sultanas and coffee to the nose and clove-studded oranges and barbecued ribs to the palate. From the ‘chateau’ of malt.