This baby, according to the wonderful retro label, is supposed to be 'for contemplation' and to 'change from sip to sip'. This series is released every year to celebrate Valentine's Day (Feb. 14), which can only please me (LOL). Naturally, as Rosebank Distillery closed in 1993, this recent bottling cannot quite be 21 years old, that's probably a matter of London coquetry or something. Colour: light gold. Nose: you feel the Madeira upfront, which is much more pleasant than you would believe. Some kind of sweet mustard sauce mixed with sultanas, I would say, but Rosebank's citrus does the cavalry, with pink bananas, tangerines, viognier, young Sauternes and then a drop of chartreuse. Nutshell: lovely! Mouth: punchier than you would have expected, with once again these notes of Madeira sauce, a little leather, tobacco, some saltiness, then the lemons chime in, together with orange blossom honey, earl grey, cane syrup, perhaps curaçao, jelly babies and quite some lemon curd. Lovely 'nervous' sweetness which reminds me of some proper riesling vendanges tardives. Finish: medium, on pretty much the same flavours and some slightly spicy/salty honeyness in the aftertaste. Comments: you could have wondered why one would have buried a Rosebank under Madeira. The answer might be: it wasn't really buried.

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