Yamazaki ‘Vintage Malt’ 1995/2005

Review by Nonjatta contributor - Serge Valentin

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"Yamazaki ‘Vintage Malt’ 1995/2005 (56%, OB, sherry) This one is said to be very rare.
Colour: Mahogany.
Nose: This is a sherried version, and a rather beautiful one. Chocolate, cigar box, leather, fudge, Parma violets, coffee and walnuts. Flawless. With water: now it got truly wonderful. Old Spanish ham (pata negra) and very old white Madeira. Almost stunning.
Mouth (neat): What a beast! Concentrated, even sort of heavy, with quite some oak (tannins – maybe a bit green) and truckloads of prunes plus English brown sauce. Sticky. With water: stunning whisky. More coffee and chocolate and then more fruits (blackcurrants, prunes, blackberries). Cleaner and less meaty than when neat. Finish: long, clean, fruity and jammy (blackberries).
Comments: Luv’ this. ‘Natural’ sherry maturing perfectly handled.
SGP:652 – 90 points." (Serge`s scoring system is explained on this page.)