Jacob’s Creek, Double Barrel Shiraz, Barossa Valley, 2014

I tasted a sample of this wine before it had undergone the innovative second period of maturation in Scotch whisky barrels. It had a rich nose of plum and violets leading into a powerful palate defined by charred wood and tar, but which also contained flavours of black forest fruit, vanilla and peppery spice. Tasting the final result, post additional whisky barrel ageing, the wine seems to have settled down and softened slightly. It may be my imagination, but there seems to be a hint of smoky, peaty character on the mid-palate, but the real difference is on the finish - this wine now has that powerfully warming whisky glow at the back of the throat which carries the finish for a very long time. A tasty wine that demands rich, flavour-packed cuisine, but maybe the result is not as game-changing as the label might suggest.