Fruitcakey

Sweet oak is mixed in with a sympathetic hand, and the palate follows with plenty of ripe fruitcakey flavour that’s smooth and the ripe tannins are reasonably easy on the gums.

Russian or Imperial stout, originally brewed in London in the 18th century, is a rich, intense, fruitcakey brew.

Even in the most basic St.-Émilions the ripe, spicy-juiciness of the Merlot grape should be supported by the firmness and finesse of the Cabernet Franc. The great châteaux achieve this superbly: they are full, rich, and concentrated, chocolaty and fruitcakey.

Ichiro’s Card Series Ace of Diamonds Hanyu 1986 cream sherry butt finish, cask no. 9023, dist 86, bott 08 (94.5) n24 pretty sound sherry: deep, fruitcakey and well spiced; that would normally be enough, but there is a distinct bourbon sub plot here; […]

What to drink? To continue with those dark, fruitcakey winter beers at this moment seems like an admission of defeat. Something more optimistic is called for.

Rich and fruity but light in body with plenty of rich fruitcakey flavors, toffee, and chocolate raisins.

I often see this dish served with St Emilion, perhaps partly because ‘beef Wellington’ and ‘St Emilion’ are phrases that have immense celebratory menu appeal – you can just feel Christmas and festivities around the corner. The two do go well together. The slightly fruitcakey right-bank bordeaux has a richness that marries well with the rich food.

Having established his brewery in Camden in 2012, Stu Small relocated 200 miles up the East Coast Mainline to York in 2014. So far I’ve only managed to find his Porter (5%) but as a yardstick for the others, this is a big fruitcakey, malty, plummy, roasty, chocolatey triumph.