10 years in ex-bourbon wood allowed the benchmark orchard fruit, fig and fragrant spice notes of this full-bodied distillate to develop. Its final two years imbued the malt with the luscious tropical fruit and honeysuckle character garnered from a Sauternes barrique. The Bordeaux-based dessert wine develops these aromas and flavors through “noble rot”, an infection by the botrytis fungus. Sounds a little strange for a fungus to create these gorgeous flavors, but it’s true and remarkably delicious! Tasting Panel Note: The barrels have given the nose heather honey, rainbow drops and popcorn sweetness, and the aromatic fruitiness of apricots, plum jam and toffee apples. The palate, complex and fun, had salted caramel, sugared almonds, chocolate hazelnut spread and swathes of fruit, including rhubarb and apple crumble with custard, mango, melon, black grapes and spiced apricots. The reduced