54,3° (95° ¨Proof)
Distillery : Smögen - Sweden
2 Bourbon Barrels
Original Bottling
Limited Edition
Single Malt
Bottled in 2023
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured
Peated around 50 ppm
Smögen is a distillery founded in Sweden in 2009. Located north of Gothenburg, it faces the sea. It seems that the distillery has been a firm favourite with connoisseurs for some years now. I confess that I hadn't heard of it. Here we have a 9-year-old bottling, aged in two similar casks, hence the name of the series, Twin Barrels. The distillate has been slightly reduced to the 95° Proof of the old Sikes scale, which is deliciously old-fashioned. 770 bottles have been released, distributed exclusively by La Maison du Whisky in France.
Let's Taste It :
Dusty smoke, graphite, gravel, hot cement, leading towards a grainy vanilla. Macadamia nuts, mineral rock. Herbaceous and earthy notes, curry, brown sugar, cinnamon. A few white fruits, but mostly fresh lemon. It's slightly salty. The palate is lighter and more floral, the fruits a little fuller, but the spices rise, cloves and pepper. Still citrus fruits. The finish is fairly long, ranging from liquorice to peppermint, rosemary and parsley. Bark, refreshing chocolate touches, after eight.
In Short,
I know that Serge Valentin gave it 90, and I have to say that I disagree, despite all the respect I have for him. I like peat because it gives the whisky great richness and allows for an infinite number of nuances. Here, the peat is too dry to be subtle, the juice has character but lacks complexity in my opinion. What's more, the asking price seems totally inappropriate. If the price were halved, I'd recommend buying it. Instead, I recommend a Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength, which is cheaper, almost as peaty and much better.
Score : 87
To Be Listened While Sipping :
Draconian - Sleepwalkers
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