The View from the Golden Promise is a chance to see the bottles under the hammer at finespirits.auction in a new light. To give you this fresh perspective, we’ve called on two experts from the Golden Promise Whisky Bar.
SALVATORE MANNINO
Yoichi 1988
It was a fairly daring move to mature this Yoichi for 25 years in a new oak butt (approx. 500 litres), especially as it is a more peated version of the spirit. But, once again, Nikka has proved its incredible skills in both distillation and maturation, and I think this Yoichi 1988 is probably the best cask ever selected from the distillery by La Maison du Whisky. The nose is round and well-balanced, with peat and vanilla kicking off proceedings, followed by lime, spices (star anise, nutmeg) and liquorice stick. The wood is well-incorporated, even allowing a glimpse of floral notes (peony, lilac). The palate is creamy and fruity (forest fruits) with beautiful notes of precious wood, spices and peat. The finish is long, peaty and spicy. Quite simply an incredible whisky where oak plays its part without ever overstepping the mark. Another, please!
STANISLAS KINDROZ
KARUIZAWA 1981 Cask No.6207
Located at the foot of Mount Asama, at an altitude of more than 800 metres, Karuizawa was founded in 1955 with the aim of producing a robust whisky in the traditional Scottish style for blends to be released on the Japanese market. And yet, over its lifetime, the distillery showed it was also capable of producing incredibly sophisticated malts. This version bottled in 2011 for the Vintage Single Cask Malt Whisky range and matured in an ex-sherry cask reveals the height of Karuizawa’s charm and complexity. The nose, at first clear and tannic, is absolutely magnificent once allowed to breathe, opening up into notes of acacia honey and poppy that would be worthy of Speyside’s greatest single malts. The palate is hot (pepper, mustard, chilli), exotic (passion fruit, grapefruit), warm (smoking cigar) and bitter (orange chocolate). The precious wood found on the finish puts this Karuizawa up among the greatest sherry casks. Quite simply, the pinnacle of Karuizawa.
