Swedish Whisky from Smögen – Sherry Project 1:1 51,8% ABV

Yesterday I was very lucky to find a small package of samples in my mailbox! The package turned out to have two samples of Smögen single malt whisky in it, yay! Smögen is releasing two spankingly new bottlings tomorrow which swedes can buy at the state monopoly. One is single bourbon cask 20/2011 (which I will taste sometime soon), and the other is called ’Sherry Project 1:1’ being the first of four releases involving sherry finishing. The fourth bottling in the series will be fully matured in sherry casks. Smögen distillery is a swedish west-coast distillery that only produces peated whisky. And so I guess that you would like to know the ppm? Well people, it’s peated to 45 ppm (just as Laphroaig). Now, the Sherry Project 1:1 has first been matured for nearly three years in powerfully charred 110 litre casks made of european oak. The whisky has then been transferred for a final maturation in a fresh sherry butt. Sounds tasty right?! Well let’s try it then shall we?

Nose:

Incredibly rich and creamy! Very fat and certainly gives a mature impression. I remember thinking that the first release ’Primör’ seemed very mature for it’s age, but this one really is many many steps ahead in maturity! A BIG and fat nose that really drizzles with sherry influence, if I had not known that it has only spent a few months in sherry casks I would never have guessed it was not fully sherry matured, I kid you not people, really! The nose boasts of dried figs and dark raisins, there’s even some milk chocolate in there… nice… Above all the layers of creamyness and sherryness is a very elegant acidulous touch that really screams: ”Try me! Try me!” So I guess I just have to try now J

Palate:

Mmm…! Absolutely beatiful. As I said, veeery mature! I absolutely can not believe that this is a young whisky… Great mouthfeel, perfect combination of peat and big-fat-creamy-sherryness… Lots of dark fruits on the first sip, sugary-honey sweetness that takes perfect care of my mouth. Slowly developes into a quite spicy and dry feeling that clings on to my mouth and makes everything become so ”present” if you know what I mean, I really feel that I’m alive when I taste this whisky! After one minute or so everything gets quite dry and warm… the peat is beautiful… I really don’t think that water is needed here people, it’s not too strong at all, so think carefully before adding water.

Well folks, this is definitely the best Swedish whisky I’ve tasted so far, so I guess I simply have to reserve a cask at Smögen as soon as possible J Please stay tuned for my other tasting note of the Smögen single cask 20/2011 that I’ll look into very soon.

A BIG thanks to Pär for the oppurtunity to taste this, thank you! Friends, please follow SamuelWhisky on Facebook here, and on twitter here. P.S If you come to the Örebro Beer and Whiskyfestival this friday, please do come to the Edrington booth to say hi, I will be there and take care of Connemara and Laphroaig!

See you soon and Sláinte!