| Rich Howard | the nose starts on a gentle oakiness, equally gentle smoke, then lighter notes of fresh pear, a dash of clover honey and a hint of vanilla. after a few minutes, some floral notes and hints of perfumed wood start to drift through. yes, the lavender is here, fortunately somewhat understated. with the toasted oak, it's more like a man's cologne than, um... a perfume. ;) the palate is sweet, herbal and slightly smoky, growing a tad perfume-y on the finish, again not too much. with a drop or two of water, much of the wood and almost all of the smoke is dispelled on the nose, leaving fresh peach, marzipan and more of the floral notes, lavender pastilles now. the palate follows suit. nice if you like them sweet, but maybe growing a tad too perfume-y for some on the finish. "safest" to enjoy at cask strength, i'd say. |
