Sweet but slightly assertive woody spices pervaded the nose – pepper, humbugs, ginger, cinnamon apple pie and Liquorice Allsorts; also some leather, dead leaves and furniture polish. The neat palate also had exotic spices (clove, liquorice, anise) and oriental wood; however; curious notes of After Eights, gin and fermented honey kept it from being one-dimensional. On the reduced nose, cinnamon glazed donuts and ginger snaps represented continuity, while spearmint, wet stones and very light coal-tar soap brought fresh suggestions into play. On the reduced palate chocolate, blackcurrant and toasty flavours appeared – while the spices still buzzed our mouths like playful hornets.