Simon Field | Plush and oaky, velvety and distinctive, the wood hitherto in the ascendant, graphite and peaty notes evidenced, but behind that a floral tribute, then mainly dark fruit, blue rather than black, with bilberry and myrtle conspicuous, just a little hard on the back of the palate. Tightly wound and promising. Oily and a little odd; maybe it just needs to soften a little. | 88

Andrew Jefford | Dark, saturated black-red; opaque to the core. Some new oak here? The question mark is that there is marked vanilla but also a marked oily linseed note, as well as a kind of pine essence, so although it could be wood of an exotic sort, it could perhaps also be freshly beeswax-lined or otherwise lined jars or something of that sort. Anyway, we must judge as we find, which means that this is a characterful and striking though relatively unsubtle aroma of considerable power. The palate is very powerful, rich, and broad- shouldered, and there must be some outstanding fruit in here, but the oily linseed character is so dominant that it occludes the enjoyment of the fruit. We will have a look at a second bottle—but that, alas, was worse, with some TCA problems. So, judged on the first bottle, which is not “faulty” but aesthetically odd. | 84

David Williams | Very prominent oak? Or something else? Seems a little clunky, a little rustic, but not unattractive, the caramel-vanilla quality sitting on some very attractive homemade brambly jamminess and some hearty tannins. | 86