Worthy Park Sample: The Duchess 12 Years Old Lluidas Vale Cask 4 57.9% 2006

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Serge Valentin (88)

Colour: gold.

Nose: gentler, less extreme than that Hampden, more complex as well, with some smoky earthiness, no acetone this time, rather a feeling of smoked banana cake, cigar ashes, a mild oliveness, and whiffs of camphor an eucalyptus wood. With water: the varnish comes out, together with more very lovely earthy tones and fermenting tropical fruits. A combo that always works very perfectly.

Mouth (neat): very unusual this time, with notes of grappa and marc de Bourgogne at first (not égrappé/destemmed), and only then cane, olives, and lemon, then liquorice and a touch of tar. With water: really, marc. And then, indeed, olives and tarry liquorice. Some sides remind me of that crazy thing that Silver Seal did, called Grhum. Which is grappa finished in ex-rum wood.

Finish: rather long, funnily grape-y, and then appropriately olive-y.

Comments: totally up my alley – and indeed it’s fun. One to poor blind – not saying it’s a real eye-opener though (ooh that was utterly lame, S.!)