The nose starts with a moderate sourness with a mix of pomegranate, pineapple and black pepper then dark chocolate covered cherries and toasted walnuts followed by mango, strawberries with balsamic vinegar and anise spiced poached pears that transitions to ginger, cloves and mild ashy oak with no ethanol burn. The taste is a thin mouthfeel starting with a faint tropical fruit before a moderate bitter and sour spice that slowly fades to brandy soaked cherries, cocoa nibs and walnuts followed by sour strawberries, lemon, and grapefruit pith that transitions to a a chalky powdered ginger, cloves and black pepper with light ethanol burn. The finish is short with high percentage dark chocolate, espresso, toasted walnuts, strawberry jam, black pepper and mild ashy oak. The nose on this started out promising with a mix of sour red fruits, tropical fruits, nuts and mild spices, but the taste is unfortunately thin from that 40% ABV which seems to mute the flavors which are along the bitter and sour side before finishing quickly with bitter ashy notes dominating over the light red fruits that are trying to peek through. Side by side with Kavalan distillery select, the concertmaster is thinner with a higher bitter spice whereas the distillery select comes together with a better balance of flavors with a richer mouthfeel which is surprising considering its intended for mixing and the concertmaster is not. At the price of $90+ around me, this is a hard pass that just doesn't come together well and you can get the distillery select for half the price that IMO edges the concertmaster out. Thanks @ContemplativeFox for the generous sample