Smögen 2013 10 YO Dr. Jekyll’s Nordic Series

Smögen 2013 10 YO Dr. Jekyll’s Nordic Series, 55.7%

Ooh, I approach this whisky with a certain mix of trepidation and expectation. It is a Smögen, which under normal circumstances is a guarantee for high quality, then again it has been mainly matured in virgin Swedish oak, which is a massive red flag - at least to me. I am jumping the gun a bit though. Let me get the facts on the table, and then dive deep into the whisky (almost) literally. Then we shall see. To be fair, this whisky has been finished in something else, which will hopefully take the edge off the “dreaded” virgin Swedish oak.

The whisky was distilled early 2013 and the casks were filled February 2013. Initially it was matured in two virgin Swedish oak casks for 8 years and 8 months. Then it received a finish for 2 years in a 1st fill ex-Oloroso sherry hogshead, before finally being bottled in July 2023. Limited to 448 bottles, and made from heavily peated Optic barley.

Available to buy in Norway at NOK 1995 (16371102).

Nose: A symphony of sweet peat. Envision a pine forest, draped in cotton candy, ablaze with nature's fury. Amidst this, the tempting aroma of smoked bacon sizzling on a barbecue wafts through. As it settles, whispers of earthy aniseed emerge, intertwined with tantalizing sugary caramel spirals.

Taste: Medium body, and full of weirdness. It's a malty marvel with splashes of spices. Picture sugar cubes, mischievously dusted in soot, paired with the zing of ginger and the unique touch of grilled oranges.

Finish: It lingers. There's a dance of pepper, soot, and orchard fruits that have seen the wild side. It's deep, it's rich, and it commands your palate's respect.

Comment: Every sip is an adventure.

Score 90/100

This is Nordic whisky review #375 here on Whisky Saga. See them all here.

Sláinte!
-Thomas