| Rich Howard | an initial burst of red liquorice, fresh red raspberry, raisins, a light undercurrent of fruit yogurt with vanilla, then quickly onto lasting notes of dried ginseng, dried ginger, morel mushrooms, maple roasted and grilled root vegetables, hints of gunpowder in the background. the palate is strong and a bit biting, mostly on slightly bitter fruit notes... mineral water, unsweetened cranberries, orange peel, some floral lavender lasting into the finish alongside thick leather, cigarette tobacco and charred wood. a drop of water really changes the nose, opening up a lot of floral notes, hints of plum pudding and brown sugar, and plenty of earthier notes... unmistakable sage and celery, still some ginseng, and also some notes of mineral water here now. the palate is still heavy on mineral water and unsweetened cranberries and some orange peel, some blackcurrant, leather and charred wood on the tail. summary: the nose is promising, complex and nuanced, but the palate is unfortunately far less interesting and a bit over-wooded. [tasted blind for the 2011 Awards] |
