SMWS 95.39 Auchroisk 1982 Aged 38 Years “Indian Summer in a Japanese Garden”

Style: Complex and Elegant

Nose:
Sweet cranberries breezes in elegantly, followed by a quick peppermint nod, then we have some Sakura petals, matcha chocolate with a hint of Jasmine green tea flickering softly in the air. Very Zen-like experience, but no, this is not a Japanese whisky. Glazed orange peels, plums and raisinets thinly smeared with paraffin oil. Moving onto pine cones, green forest freshness, honeycomb and strawberries. Hotcake with a touch of maple syrup and vanilla cream towards the end. The aroma is light and ever-changing, amazing.

Palate:
Raspberry swirl paving over the surface while some genmaicha brewing quietly underneath. Feels more typical Speyside-y now, but very matured. Green elements manifest in the form of tree sap and forest breeze. A Ribena burst in the middle, shooting shards of tropical fruits and citrus rock candies around. Light white pepper sprinkles, pancake stacks, coconut cream, honey mead and sakura petals unlock one by one when you give it plenty of patience. Growing drier and more herbal at the back palate, liquorice, red chilli and cinnamon sticks gently burning. Red fruits gearing up once again to make one final push. Tannins and barley tail.

Finish:
Tropical and citrus fruits echoing softly in the chamber. Taro, barley, red fruits coming giving a delicious sherried finish.

Thoughts:
While there is a Japanese fantasy theme here, name included, but the spirit itself has nothing to do with Japanese whiskies at all. In fact, Auchroisk is a lesser-known, relatively modern (1972) distillery which was the first single malt featured under the “Singleton” brand. Now, back to this little precious here, the expression is conducted with a sense of freshness, airiness and elegance that resembles the adored oriental style. Perfectly weighted sherry, incredibly vibrant and complex, this, my friend, is very close to three-stars territory.

☆☆+ [Highly Recommended]

-Esmond