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Dwelling
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| Hello, that is certainly one of our (nearly) each day tastings. Santé! |
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September 1, 2022
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You might bear in mind Berry Bros.’ Nordic Casks sequence final 12 months – or was it the 12 months earlier than. Nice stuff, and excellent news, sequence #2 is right here. Final time, we tried all of them inside one session, however we’ll quite have a wee flight of whiskies from the identical distillery this time, together with a few of BBR’s Nordics certainly. We thought Sweden’s Smögen, which we ‘nearly’ visited this 12 months (regrets regrets) can be a sensible choice.
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Smögen 8 yo 2013/2021 (56%, OB, Sweden, closely peated optic barley, 2478 bottles) 
A huge batch, given the same old low outturn at Smögen. Underneath 100 casks a 12 months in response to Berry Bros., so this is kind of 10% of the yearly manufacturing. However yeah, no Glenfiddich-figures anyway. Color: pure gold. Nostril: we have a tendency to say well-known Scottish peaters as comparisons when attempting such new whiskies, however in reality Smögen stands on its two ft. Smögen is Smögen. Reasonably some fatness, just a few gingery and curry-like oak extracts, some burning fir wooden, whereas all that coats a coastal (alliterations kill, S.) peatiness that is fairly crystal-clean. A contact of vanilla fudge and wee hints of maple sugar make it rounder. With water: water brings out tundra herbs, with one thing that jogs my memory of bison vodka – besides that this can be a gazzzzillion instances higher. Mouth (neat): as soon as once more, it is slightly fats and oily, which is beautiful, then very peaty and peppery, quite with some nutmeg this time, as an alternative of ginger. You do really feel that water is required, although, regardless of the relative drinkability of this child when neat. With water: sure, there, lemons and grapefruit bringing freshness. End: the oak essences and spices are again. Feedback: so, wonderful after all, it is only a tad on the spicy/oaky facet, as if this was ex-French oak. So, French oak?
SGP:476 – 85 factors. |
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Smögen 9 yo 2011/2021 (60%, OB, Sweden, tremendous closely peated, white oak puncheon, cask #59/2011, 911 bottles) 
Certainly, the extent of peat lies at 96.9ppm right here, nearly twice that of A. close to that cross, however will all these ppms have survived the journey from the maltster to the filling station? Color: darkish straw. Nostril: completely pure, with a lot fewer oak extracts (except the peat has been masking them this far) and baggage of lemon drops. Just a little excessive to be nosed too deeply (it will burn you) however you do already really feel that this shall be good. With water: it takes numerous water and by no means stops changing into extra coastal, with new animals showing on a regular basis, from winkles to whales. Possibly not whales. An ideal muddy/gristy facet too does come out, in addition to one thing slightly metallic (cash, instruments). Mouth (neat): as we generally say, it cuts you into two halves of precisely the identical sizes, to the millimetre. Some limoncello would then add some roundness, whereas this gingery/nutmeggy facet is there once more too, albeit in a lot, a lot smaller measures. With water: excellently pure and zesty. Up my alley. And the 96.9ppm peat are usually not an enormous deal (yeah proper). End: lengthy, wonderful, with a really nice spicy feeling within the aftertaste. That is that oak once more, it is quite good that it might actually specific itself solely by the top. White oak? American white oak? Feedback: completely wonderful and completely near-90. Ah, that oak! Oh and sure, the pat is de facto massive. Oh and you will have observed that I’ve kept away from doing any silly jokes associated to these 911 bottles. So no Porsche jokes.
SGP:568 – 88 factors. |
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Smögen 2012/2022 (59.6%, Berry Bros. & Rudd, Nordic Casks #2, oloroso hogshead, cask #34, 284 bottles) 
One other coup by BB&R’s Jonny McMillan. When one of many oldest wine and spirit retailers in Nice Britain, if not the oldest, selects your product that ought to imply one thing. Color: gold. Nostril: there was one thing about these oaks within the two officers, that is rather more basic and, dare I add, it higher lets the splendidly pure spirit shine by. Some wonderful notes of rotting fruits, fermentation, artisanal porridge, diesel oil, then crushed bananas and, drumroll please, manzanilla! That is folded! With water: inexperienced walnuts and seawater, the valuable combo. Mouth (neat): wonderful. Fats petrol, rotten fruits, Jamaican rum (yep), salt, olives, liquorice… With water: sameish, however saltier but, all good. End: lengthy, clear as a Haut-Brion Blanc. Feedback: I will must ship a private letter to the Distillers with an apology, however I can not assist pondering that this indie ‘Nordic’ is quite slightly superior. I am completely positive it is a matter of cask.
SGP:657 – 90 factors. |
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The final one shall be a Trans-Scandinavian mix by BB&R and Whisky Saga’s Thomas Øhrbom, with some Smögen inside. Good enjoyable I am positive (to sip whereas binge-watching Vikings on Netflix, I suppose…)
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Vindöga ‘Blended Nordic Malt Whisky’ (59.7%, Berry Bros. & Rudd, Nordic Casks #2, sherry cask, 146 bottles, 2022)
In archaic Swedish, Vindöga means home windows(*). All proper then, they may have referred to as it Övertäckning simply as effectively, which, apparently, means roof, or higher but, Destilleringsapparater, which implies nonetheless. This can be a mix of Fary Lochan, Teerenpeli, Excessive Coast, Mosgaard, Myken and certainly, Smögen. Color: amber. Nostril: correct pretty sherry round a peaty and ashy+% core, with some oranges and walnuts within the again. Just a little Maggi too, however Maggi is not Nordic, is it. With water: just a few flints, outdated books, cigarettes, simply common tea (English breakfast), wee bits of cured ham… Very very charming nostril. Mouth (neat): fantastic butterscotch, clootie dumpling, milk chocolate, mocha, millionaire shortbread… Hey hey, that is superior! With water: oh, smoked fish! Anchovies! Black olives! End: lengthy, salty, very savoury, fairly distinctive actually. Feedback: what? I will be sincere, I had thought this mix would have been made utilizing any cask dregs or residues they’d have had. I am not saying that is not what they’ve carried out, all I am saying is that the top result’s bleeding wonderful; however then once more, as an Alsatian, I consider in Europe, together with Nordic Europe. Vastly carried out, of us!
SGP:563 – 89 factors. |
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(*) or one thing like ‘from the place the wind blows’, in response to higher positioned sources.
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