The Cask of Yamazaki 1990/2005 Hogshead

Review by Serge Valentin

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"The Cask of Yamazaki 1990/2005 (55%, OB, cask #0W70223, Ohmi cellar, hogshead)
Colour: Pale gold.
Nose: Oily, mineral and waxy at first nosing, with quite a bit of vanilla in the background as well as hints of flour (‘clean dust’, sawdust.) Linseed oil, fabric. Gets dustier over time. Tapioca, cedar wood. With water: it got more organic and even maritime, not dusty anymore, with whiffs of oysters and iodine, wet hay… Also a little more ‘oriental’ (sandalwood, incense), with quite a bit of plain oak all the while, and some smoke. Very ‘natural’.
Mouth (neat): Rather explosive and very fruity, on fresh pineapples, apples (golden delicious) and hints of bananas. A little spirity. With water: more of the same, only smoother and much better balanced. Pineapple sweets and vanilla crème. A tad simple but perfectly compact, which isn’t the same. Finish: long, jammy and smokier now.
Comments: A fruity/sexy one that’s an excellent swimmer.
SGP:731 – 86 points." (Serge`s scoring system is explained on this page.)