Suntory Vintage Malt 1985 Hakushu

Review by Nonjatta contributor - Serge Valentin

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"Vintage Hakushu 1985/2005 (56%, OB, white oak, Yatsugatake cellar)
Colour: Gold.
Nose: this one starts extremely oily again (motor oil, even cod oil), in the same style as the 1988, just a tad more polished. Also bold notes of orange squash and tinned pineapple, much fruitier than its younger unsherried siblings. Lemon peels. Little peat this time. Gets a little ‘chemical’ after a while (aspirin, plastic bag). A bit bizarre...
Mouth: very fruity, sweet, even sugary, with all of the oak’s spices but no over-woodiness this time. Vanilla pods, soft curry, hints of aniseed, carrot cake, rocket salad (enjoyable bitterness), artichokes. Lavender sweets and liquorice. Good profile, he oak seemingly calming down at twenty years of age (not that it may not gain steam again after thirty).
Finish: fruity and spicy, with just hints of peat. Still quite wildly oaky in fact but better balanced altogether. 81 points." (Serge`s scoring system is explained on this page.)

Alcohol
56 per cent (abv)
Price700 ml - 21,000 yen. Available here.