Nose: This sample has been nearly tasted 5 times. To the point where I had it poured in a glass three night ago, the smell filling my office while I focused heads down on deadlines. But I never lifted the glass and an hour later I concluded, this wasn’t going to happen. Back into the sample container. My office smelled fab. A strong baseline of oak notes. More of a jazz standup bass than drumcore. Finger walking class. You could make an aromatic candle from this and it would sell quite well. I’m surprised at how fruity it is, having had quite a few Rounagle vintages in this age bracket. Sweetness and spices, cassis and concord grapes offset by chinese 5 spice, orange peel, celery salt. Little to no burn, although that might be from all the air it had.

Palate: The mouthfeel is so silky and syrupy. Sweet n sour for days. Grapefruit simple syrup, chewing on sour grass while strolling in the hills on a warm day. The bite of the veggie patch: yellow bell peppers, squash blossoms or a mildly sweet courgette. There is a light bitterness, lavender cookies, white tea and chicory. The finish has a carob malt ball vibe.

Rating: 7 / 10 – A more approachable version of the 1984 (which you all know I love). The slight bitterness might be a detractor for some, but the silkiness and sweet/sour vibe are something special. This manages to hit the whole tongue without overpowering. The aged agricol folks will love this.