The sherry’s voice was loud and clear to the panel in this one. Immediate notes of furniture wax, shoe polish, wet earth, strawberry jam and tinned pineapple emerged alongside some touches of plum sauce and date compote. Water gave us brown bread, toasted pumpkin seeds, olive oil, muesli, crushed oatcakes and orange juice. A high octane Old Fashioned.

The palate was immediately spicy with tamarind, spiced chutney, mango puree, lean tannins, bitter chocolate, demerara sugar and black tea, with some evolution towards dried orange rind and pipe tobacco. With water we found notes such as maraschino liqueur, bacon fries, salted beef and a pin prick of wasabi! There were also drops of Drambuie and marmalade on rye bread.