MARS 2016 Komagatake Yakushima Aging The Little Big Book

Nose : rich, deep. The beautifully malty, fruity (pear, lemon), vanilla and herbaceous (green malt, fern) initial nose is extremely subtle. Allowed to breathe, it develops notes of white florals (lilac, lily of the valley), Golden Delicious apples and fresh coriander. Next, divinely honeyed (acacia, lavender), it gradually becomes medicinal (ointment) and musky. The very ethereal aromatic palette is nonetheless impressively present. Right at this moment, a hint of peat appears.

Palate : powerful, dense. The very malty attack stays close to the washback and refuses to take a back seat. It proudly displays a firmness and rigour that pays tribute to Mars’ master distiller. On the mid-palate, an oily peat weaves around the palate. It is more pronounced than on the nose. In reality, as the tasting progresses, the peat becomes more intense. This development reaches its peak in notes of hydrocarbon, soot, smoked fish and bacon.

Overall : long, assertive. Barley acts as the spine of a deliciously aquatic (reed, lotus) and floral (orange blossom) start to the finish. Next, mustard seed and grey pepper literally shatter the flavour palette, which becomes acidic (lemon), honeyed and smoky (Havana cigar). On the retro-nasal olfaction, vetiver and Russian leather fragrances fill the air. The empty glass turns to an incredibly pure distillate in which peat slightly dominates the expression.