Smögen 2014 7 YO Daracha Owners' Cask #1
Smögen 2014 7 YO Daracha Owners' Cask #1, 59.9 %
This is a private bottling of Smögen, exclusive for the owner’s and employees of Smögen’s importer to Norway, Daracha AS.
Matured in a 2nd fill ex-sherry 40 litre cask. Most likely it is a PX cask. Distilled 2014-07-23 and bottled 2021-04-24, with a total outturn of 40 bottles.
Nose: Surprisingly shy for a Smögen. Typically a Smögen will be barking happily in your face and slobbering all over you from the get go, like a certain legendary distillery dog (Miss you, Dante!). Peat smoke for sure. Some vanilla and the expected green pine wood notes. Then patience pays off and I pick up notes of dried fruits, coffee and dark chocolate. Hot coal and ashes.
Taste: Medium to full bodied. Fiery initial delivery. Pepper, chili and roaring peat fires. Behind all that heat there’s a lot of sweet fruitiness - ripe apples as well as tropical fruits.
Finish: Medium long finish. Rather dry now - borderline too dry. Quite oaky and peppery as well. The fruitiness has given up and gone home. White sugar and cool peppermint in the end.
Comment: A gentle slap to the face.
Score 86/100
This is Nordic whisky review #308 here on Whisky Saga. See them all here.
Sláinte!
-Thomas