Nose: Rich sweet carpet. Dark maple syrup teetering on molasses. I used to soak ripe red cherries in bourbon in the freezer over the summer until cider season. It added intense base notes to the fruit. I keep expecting it to get brighter, but instead we roll into umami territory. Serenity has been experimenting with teriyaki sauce, marrying soy, sugar and vinegars. Adding a hint of starch brings a smoothness to the smell and the palate. Nearly velvety chocolate cake.
Palate: Oak shadow boxer, but with a core of soft red velvet sweetness. Explodes into a big mouthful but the cocoa carries it. Reminds me of some of the older elijah craigs. Maybe closer to chocolate malt balls. The oak tannins aren’t shy.
Rating: 7 / 10 – I quite like this. The palate doesn’t have a ton of nuance but that rich deep note is lovely. I’m right on the fence about buying and while I don’t usually talk about price when reviewing, I just added one to the cart because it’s priced right. So that puts it solid in 7 land.
