thanks for the advice it's early days yet but apart from a little tweaking I'm pretty happy with my blend which has a buttery / biscuity base, choc / cherry and plummy mid-palate, and nice aromatic spice / perfume on the nose, with an even nutty brown crema and balanced acidity. whether or not this translates to a smooth finish on competition day, however, remains to be seen! with this being my first comp and all, I have no expectations other than to turn up and give it my best shot, and to see if I an learn a little (or a lot!) along the way! Cheers, Pat
