SMWS 130.1 (Chichibu 4 yo 2009/2013)

SMWS 130.1 (Chichibu 4 yo 2009/2013)

2013, SMWS
Single malt - East Honshu
Golden
61.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon, vanilla, cedar wood, butterscotch, hints of roses. With water, saltier, meatier, roast pork. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, loose, watery. 
Tasting: Sweet sour. Pear drops, lemons, vanilla, cream, butterscotch, hints of roses. With water, saltier, hints of soy sauce. 
Finish: Long. Burning, cedar wood, pear drops, vanilla, bitter gourd, cream, hints of coffee. 

Comments: 

Young, sweet and burning hot. Far too young really, I reckon it would have benefited from a few more years in the cask. But already a hugely complex finish, not even remotely masked by the high alcohol content. A pleasing bitter aftertaste, develops a lot in the glass.

Verdict:

I like this.
 

SMWS 131.1 (Hanyu 22 yo 1991/2013)

SMWS 131.1 (Hanyu 22 yo 1991/2013)

2013, SMWS
Single malt - East Honshu
Copper
57.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, cream, cherries, cloves, hints of lemon. With water, marmalade, butterscotch. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, turns watery, smooth.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Cream, vanilla, straw, sandalwood, cloves, hints of lemon. With water, butterscotch, hints of mint. 
Finish: Medium. Cloves, marmalade, cherries, hints of coffee. 

Comments:

Chock-full of spices and oriental fragrances, but sweet and creamy in the bargain. Needed some water to open it up, but once it did it was really smooth and sweet, with luscious citrus notes. Well-aged, shame there's so very little left.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 132.1 (Karuizawa 28 yo 1984/2013)

SMWS 132.1 (Karuizawa 28 yo 1984/2013)

2013, SMWS
Single malt - West Honshu
Mahogany
59.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Oak, leather, pine, wood polish, toffee, hints of plums. With water, marmalade, more plums, hints of wintergreen. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, sticky, volatile. 
Tasting: Sweet. Wood polish, roast ham, toffee, butterscotch, jalapenos, hints of plums. With water, even sweeter, more plums, marmalade. 
Finish: Long. Marmalade, toffee, wood polish, butterscotch. With water, plums, wintergreen. 

Comments: 

Typical sherry casked Karuizawa - absolutely delicious. This one was just a little strong, but with water, opened up marvellously, with great notes of plums, plums, pudding and ume everywhere. Big notes of wintergreen cut through all of that sweetness, preventing it from getting too cloying.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.