Glen Ord 1962-1984 22 Year Old Samaroli Bouquet

Overwhelming. I feel this bottle was filled at a timing where nothing was compromised. Glen Ord GLENORD 1962-1984 22yo SAMAROLI BOUQUET 58% One of 720 bottles The aroma is strong and fragrant, with a concentrated viscosity, rich apricot jam, ripe plums and apricots, boiled-down black tea, caramel, dark sugar, a smoky nuance in the strong barley notes, custard, leather, cinnamon, mint, nuts, hinoki and incense-like woody notes reminiscent of antique furniture, layered with old peat in the background. Upon drinking, it starts with a powerful attack that spreads into a rich, viscous texture, the deep sweetness of apricot jam, the acidity of plum jam, a thick woody character with subtle tannins, a strong barley umami that lingers on the tongue, faint old peat notes, and a multi-layered depth with full-bodied richness. The finish is exceptionally long. [Excellent] This is the Samaroli bottling of Glen Ord 1962 Bouquet from 1984. A legendary bottle aged for 22 years in full proof. This is the third time I've encountered it, but this was by far the most detailed tasting experience. My comments ended up being lengthy, apologies for that (smile). The aroma is strong and fragrant, with a concentrated jam-like quality and apricot nuances. Surprisingly, the fruits like plums also have a fresh, juicy character. The barley notes are round and smooth without any harshness, complemented by a diverse woody character from the cask that adds complexity and depth. The old peat notes in the background were also a nice touch. At first glance, it feels slightly elusive, but as you take another step forward, the aromas unfold layer by layer, guiding you to its profound depths. This kind of nosing experience is incredibly enjoyable. When drinking, the initial impact isn't overly strong but quickly expands across the mouth and nasal cavity with a powerful full-strength presence. Just like the aroma, complex flavors continue to emerge. There's a concentrated viscosity with the deep sweetness of jam and its acidity, pleasant tannins from the woody character, and a strong barley umami that seeps into the palate. Each element maintains its identity while asserting itself clearly. Most notably, the body and presence are thoroughly felt in the base. It's like a rich flavor profile with multiple layers of components, tightly packed onto a foundation of remarkable thickness and balance. However, this isn't about being overly balanced or textbook-perfect; there's a certain ruggedness that adds to its charm. It seems Samaroli's policy was to bottle before the body faded, and this bottle is a perfect example of capturing the best timing to retain its body. What's particularly remarkable about this bottle, along with other Samaroli bottlings from the 80s, is that it maintains such a rich body while also possessing complex aging characteristics and depth. From here on, the following is largely my speculation: In cask aging, there seems to be a timing where extending the maturation period further would result in losing something essential rather than gaining new elements. For example, many estery and fruity characteristics that are deeply satisfying in long-aged whiskies often come at the cost of losing body or thick barley notes. In fact, in many casks, if bottled while retaining the body as thoroughly as this Glen Ord, it's unlikely to achieve such a richly complex and aged flavor profile. Therefore, I suspect that typically, distillers sacrifice body or other elements to gain aging characteristics, carefully considering the timing of release based on overall balance. Additionally, the vatting of multiple casks likely contributed significantly to this quality. The era's original spirit and cask quality were already high, but the careful selection of casks for vatting is probably why such a legendary bottling emerged. While bourbon barrels are the main focus here, I've noticed recently that even in official current releases, there are bottles that manage to retain body while also having aging characteristics. It's intriguing to think about how these barrels will develop after long-term bottle aging, and this Glen Ord has reminded me of that. This bottle was kindly provided by IAN at Mitsukoshi-mae.