SMWS 119.1 Prunes and mentholated teak oil
SMWS 119.1 Prunes and mentholated teak oil, 22 YO, 50.9 %
This is the very first bottling of Yamazaki single malt from independent bottler Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS). Distilled in October 1980 and bottled June 2003, this is a 22 year old whisky. It has been matured in a cask of undisclosed type. A total of 352 bottles were released.
I had the distinct please of trying this at a Yamazaki tasting I hosted a couple of weeks ago. I will be posting reviews of SMWS 119.2 and SMWS 119.5 as well shortly.
Nose: Menthol, Chesterfield armchairs, tiger balm, cigar box and and Ginza style caramel confectionery. With time delicate swirls of chocolate. Hints of orange zest and toasted oak. Dark-ish and borderline dirty, in a very good way.
Taste: Super concentrated, complex and full bodied. Raisins, prunes, demerara sugar and caramel. Somewhat heavy in style, but heavy on the goodness. Creamy. Then menthol and eucalyptus. The prunes are more obvious by each sip.
Finish: Long finish. Lighter and fresher now. Sugary yet refined (not refined sugar, dumdum). Juicy prunes and raisins. Plums. Hints of oranges again.
Comment: Wow! Supremely complex.
Score 93/100
Sláinte!
-Thomas
