MARS 2016 Komagatake Tsunuki Aging The Little Big Book

Nose : fine, ethereal. A combination of fresh fruit (apple, pear), citrus fruit (lemon, grapefruit), coconut milk and vanilla, the initial nose is particularly mellow. Allowed to breathe, intense smoke, spices (clove, nutmeg) and a very compact and salty peat take over the aromatic palette. Malted barley then adds its voice. This herbaceous evolution climaxes in the expression of aromatic plants (rosemary, wicker, chervil).

Palate : lively, elegant. On the attack, peat immediately makes its mark on the palette of flavours. Unctuous yet dry, it is also rooty (gentian, ginseng), smoky (Havana cigar), spicy (cumin), floral (violet, hyacinth) and lemony. The slender mid-palate is profoundly malty and vegetal (aniseed, star anise). The end of the palate brings a remarkable mentholated freshness.

Overall : long, full-bodied. With a very pleasant richness (pistachio flan, crème brûlée), the start of the finish sees the peat become less intense, masterfully taking on iridescent colours. Flavours of walnut, almond and green olive gradually bring lots of smoothness to the end of the palate. On the retro-nasal olfaction, liquorice and dark chocolate slip in between flavours of green tea and dried bay leaf. The empty glass is particularly peaty and smoky (kiln), medicinal (benzoin) and herbaceous (nettle).