Swedish Whisky from Smögen – Single Sauternes Cask 57,3% ABV

Today I bring you a review of the coming release from the Swedish west coast distillery, Smögen! As you know by now they only produce peated whisky (45 ppm). During the Gothenburg Beer and Whisky festival I was very lucky to exchange a couple of words with Pär, the distillery manager/master distiller, to see if there was anything in particular that he wanted me to review. And of course there was, a single sauternes cask (7/2011) at the age of 4 yo. It has of course spent all of it's time in the sauternes cask, so no silly finish! Here in Sweden it will be released on thursday and international buyers can find the products of Smögen Distillery here

Ok let's see what's on the palate!

Nose:

The top layer is sweet and sour in an extreme mix! I imagine something like fermented dark raisins resting in freshly squeezed limejuice… (no wonder the raisins would ferment if you leave ’em resting in juice just like that… J ) very intriguing! Below the top layer I pick up something reminding me of a mix of extremely ripe plums in sugar syrup, damp leather, bicycle tire, green marzipan and some very, very dark and fat peat. Very earthy indeed… There’s also roasted hazelnuts and maraschino cherries, actually, this dram is quite christmas-y! Believe me people, I could nose this one forever!

Palate:

OOH    M-Y    G-O-D! I just have to buy a bottle of this one! The beginning of the the palate is soo smooth, sugar syrup-y, sugar candied dried figs, dark rasisins, chocolate sticky-cake. Simly amazing! After swollowing, everything is slowly moving on into a quite powerful kick of very dark and viscous/sluggish peat. Getting more and more dry, not just the tounge but even my throat! This is definitely, without a doubt, THE best Swedish whisky I’ve had so far, nothing else comes close so the other Swedish distillers really have something to be inspired by here. In fact, this is one of the best whiskies I’ve ever had!

now isn't that a beautiful color?!

I can’t believe this is ”only” four years old, so mature and full bodied, and it has spent all of it’s four years in a full sized 228 litre cask and I would describe the whisky as fully grown up. I can’t imagine what would happen if you let it rest in the cask for even longer…

the bottle. copyright belongs to Smögen Distillery

Sláinte and a big thanks to Pär for sharing a sample of this one! Please make sure also to follow my FB-page by going here, and my twitter-page by going here. Copyright © and All Rights Reserved on all tasting notes by SamuelWhisky and pictures likewise belong to SamuelWhisky unless stated. If you would like to use any such material that belongs to SamuelWhisky or associated with SamuelWhisky, please ask by sending me an email to samuelkarlssonorebro@gmail.com 

Pär to the left, SamuelWhisky to the right

the sauternes cask! copyright belongs to Smögen Distillery