Japan, Single Malt – 56.5%, 70cl — Single Cask #423, Bourbon Barrel Limited edition of 164 bottles — LMDW Exclusive

COLOUR
Deep gold with green hues

NOSE
Refined, complex. The superbly herbaceous (clover, alfalfa) first nose is also deliciously honeyed (acacia, lime blossom). Allowed to breathe, it becomes exotic (pineapple, passion fruit), mentholated, nobly spicy (saffron, cinnamon), roasted (coffee) and vegetal (tobacco). The richness of the complex and demanding aromatic palette requires time to really savour all of the sublime aromas of heady florals (broom, mimosa), fresh coriander, dill, mandarin, candied lemon, dark chocolate and coconut milk that now rise to the surface of the glass.

PALATE
Svelte, lively. The very ethereal attack is characterized by notes of cedar, bitter orange and white chocolate. This very original trio of flavours then reveals a flavour sequence that overflows with fruit, in- cluding white and black grape, blueberry, apricot, clementine, mango, Louise Bonne pear and Mirabelle plum. On the mid-palate, beeswax is spread delicately across the side of the palate. Very pleasant cho- colate flavours then bring lots of body and silk to the end of the palate. Superb.

FINISH
Long, balanced. With an incredibly delicate texture, the start of the finish is like a traditional sake. This leads to grains of rice coating the taste buds. Very powdery (cocoa, cinnamon), it gradually reveals an exuberant floral and spicy character (ylang-ylang, patchouli). At the very end of the palate, enchanting aromas of cherry trees in bloom fill the air. The retro-nasal olfaction is undeniably exotic (mango coulis, guava) and rich (tarte tatin). The empty glass invites us to breathe in exceptional fragrances of precious wood, iris butter and nutmeg.