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.

Nikka Taketsuru 17 yo

Nikka Taketsuru 17 yo

Official bottling
Blended malt
Dark gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cola, vanilla, cream, maple syrup, strawberries. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, sticky, loosens up. 
Tasting: Sweet. Cola, vanilla, custard, blueberries, hints of smoke. 
Finish: Long. Cola, blueberries, orange peel, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Oooh. Fragrant, highly fruity, with a complex nose redolent of cola nut. Root beer float whisky? This might just be the first. Very, very good indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

George Dickel No 12

George Dickel No 12

Official bottling 
Single bourbon - Tennessee
Amber 
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Bananas, cream, caramel popcorn, orange peel, hints of lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, sticky, a little syrupy. 
Tasting: Sweet salty. Caramel popcorn, bananas, cream, orange peel, hints of red peppers. 
Finish: Short. Salty, caramel popcorn, bananas, red peppers, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Funny whiskey, this - light, yet sticky, sweet, yet a little savoury. Nice hints of salted caramel popcorn, with a vegetal, sweet finish. I can only think of red peppers when savouring the finish. How odd.

Verdict:

I like this.

Maker's 46

Maker's 46

Official bottling 
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Golden
47% ABV
Dram

Nose: Banana, brown paper, corn syrup, strawberries, cream, hints of chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, loose, smooth. 
Tasting: Sweet sour. Bananas, orange peel, strawberries, cream, chocolate, hints of black tea. 
Finish: Short. Bananas, strawberries, corn syrup, chocolate, cream. 

Comments: 

Very tasty and fruity, for something that is less than 5 years old. This certainly packs a big, sweet, fragrant punch. Doesn't taste like 47%, loose and smooth, a nice little piece of Americana.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS G10.4 (Strathclyde 23 yo 1989/2013)

SMWS G10.4 (Strathclyde 23 yo 1989/2013)

2013, SMWS
Single grain - Lowlands
Copper

57.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Oranges, pecans, banana, honey, hints of cedar and brown paper. With water, more savoury, brown paper, toast, coffee.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, loose, expands, watery. 
Tasting: Sour. Oranges, pecans, banana, brown paper, toasted coconut. With water, saltier, dark chocolate, toast, coffee. 
Finish: Short. Toasted coconut, honey, hints of cedar. 

Comments: 

Fruity and light, pleasantly toasty undertones, like a kitchen baking desserts at Christmas. Quite bourbony, but all that time in the cask has sanded off the rough edges. Tasty, takes water well.

Verdict:

I like this.

 

SMWS 21.27 (Glenglassaugh 39 yo 1972/2012)

SMWS 21.27 (Glenglassaugh 39 yo 1972/2012)

2012, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Cough syrup
46.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Tobacco leaf, plums, pineapples, coffee, raisins, black tea. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thick, sticky, chewy.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Tobacco leaf, raisins, plums, coffee, chocolate, black tea, hints of maple syrup. 
Finish: Long. Tobacco leaf, raisins, coffee, chocolate. 

Comments: 

Gentle, yet complex and flavourful. This whisky is of great age, but wears it lightly. There are many, many layers in here, and it rewards quiet contemplation and time enough to allow it to develop fully.


Verdict:

I like this a lot.
 

Spirit of Asama 55%

Spirit of Asama 55%

Official bottling 
Single malt - West Honshu
Red copper
55% ABV 
Dram

Nose: Cream, green tea, sulphur, raisins, liquorice, hints of grass and banana. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, mouth coating. 
Tasting: Bitter sour. Green tea, raisins, cream, liquorice, hints of grass. 
Finish: Long. Green tea, raisins, cream, grass, banana. 

Comments: 

Quite sulphury! But not all that unpleasant, which was quite unusual. The sulphur notes blend well with the astringent tea notes and aniseed notes. Unusual but good combination. Quite fruity, like a young bourbon, but with big hits of grassiness. This is a vatting of 77 Karuizawa casks, quite possibly all that's left of it!

Verdict:

I like this.

Yamazaki Bourbon Barrel

Yamazaki Bourbon Barrel 

Official bottling 
Single malt - West Honshu
Pale gold
48.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, soy sauce, honey, lemon zest, strawberries. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, creamy, loose. 
Tasting: Sweet. Cream, honey, butterscotch, lemon zest, chocolate. 
Finish: Long. Strawberries, chocolate, honey, hints of soy sauce. 

Comments: 

Hmmm... this was a surprise. Really creamy and full bodied, yet light and loose. Nice sweet fruity flavours, which, over time, developed into really strong chocolatey notes. Very, very delicious indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.