Suntory Vintage Malt 1988 Hakushu

Review by Nonjatta contributor - Serge Valentin

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"Vintage Hakushu 1988/2005 (56%, OB, white oak, distillery cellar)
Colour: dark straw.
Nose: very similar to the 1993 but grows more complex and more elegant, with a refined oakiness, hints of sunflower oil, ginger, new oak, cereals... Also something resinous, putty, cough syrup, marzipan, peat... Definitely peatier than the 1993, for sure.
Mouth: a very heavy oakiness again (and what a thick mouth feel!) but the spirit itself has a better backbone that counterbalances the wood. Mostly peat that is (even if less than on the nose). Now, the wood is very heavy, very, very heavy... to the point where it gets bitterish. Notes of horseradish, heavy ginger,
cinchona, very strong herbal tea... Gets a little hard I’m afraid.
Finish: long but extremely oaky, with tannic tides. Not a wood decoction but... It even kills your palate, a lot of water needed after that. 75 points." (Serge`s scoring system is explained on this page.)

Alcohol
56 per cent (abv)
Price700 ml - ?