Monde Crystal Blended Whisky

Whisky type
Blended whisky

Review by Nonjatta contributor - Dramtastic:

"Monde Crystal whisky. 40 per cent alcohol.
Nose: Pear, apples, honey and a surprising amount of smoke. Hints of glue, woodstain and diesel.
Palate: Smokey, chocolatey, malty. Honey and pear.
Finish: More smoke, sweet lemon, chocolate, malt and some mineral-like qualities. Finishes with ashy dryness on the palate and warms the chest nicely.
General Comment: Whisky making is a small part of this distillery's concerns. That they have managed to come up with a smooth, balanced and fairly complex whisky that tastes far more like a single malt than a blend amazes me.
Rating: 84/100." (Dramtastic's ratings explained.)

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Chichibu Newborn Heavily Peated

Distillery
Chichibu

Review by Nonjatta contributor - Dramtastic:

"Chichibu Newborn Heavily Peated. Cask No.452. 61.4 per cent alcohol.
Nose: Citric peat, diesel, chargilled steak. Water adds some floral notes
Palate: Chargrilled sirloin marinated in Old No.7 sauce with chargrilled eggplant and chargrilled capsicum on the side. Eucalyptus tree regrowth after a bush fire. Camphor, Kippers. Peppery spice, cigar smoke. With water becomes more citric/lemon and chocolatey. Perfectly drinkable neat at 61.4 per cent.
Finish: Peat, peppered gravy, chargrilled steak, cigar smoke, diesel, lemon. Long, warming and drying out at the end.
General comments: I'd heard good things about this. Seems they are true. Amazing balance and complexity for a 3-month-old new make.
Rating: 89/100." (Dramtastic's ratings explained.)

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Mars Maltage Pure Malt 8-year-old

Distillery
Shinshu

Review by Nonjatta contributor - Dramtastic:

"Mars Maltage Pure Malt 8-year-old. 43 per cent alcohol.
Nose: Stewed fruits, sherry, honey, earth, peat, pencil shavings
Palate: Peppery spice, sherry, coconut, mint, chocolate, malt and peat.
Finnish: Spicy, malty, earth, minty, with good length and a little drying.
General Comment: I like it.
Rating: 86/100." (Dramtastic's ratings explained.)

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Hokuto 50.5

Whisky type
Pure Malt

Review by Nonjatta contributor - Dramtastic:

"Suntory Hokuto 50.5. Alcohol content: 50.5 per cent.
Nose: Vanilla custard, pear, green apple, pineapple, orange, walnuts, some floral notes, mixed herbs and fresh potato skins.
Palate: Cinnamon, chocolate, orange, macadamias, more pineapple and walnuts.
Finish: Big, sweet spices, creamy, nutty. Really warms the palate.
Definite similarities between this and Suntory's "Hokuto" Pure Malt 12-year-old. The lower abv of the latter works to create a balance and harmony of flavours that the 50.5 can't quite match
Rating: 85/100" (Dramtastic's ratings explained.)

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The tyranny of blogging

I have just received an email from someone concerned that I have given up on Nonjatta. No. Just on holiday. Back at the grindstone soon.

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