Signatory Supreme Pure Malt Scotch Whisky

A very enjoyable and interesting blended malt. Signatory SIGNATORY 'SUPREME' Pure Malt Scotch Whisky 43% bottled in 1997, one of 500 bottles The initial aroma is rich and diverse with a sense of maturity, each element asserting itself individually yet gently. The imagery evokes pear, peach, green apple, orange, green melon, ginger, young barley, vanilla, a faint perfume-like note from the depths. Upon tasting, the fragrance is similarly diverse with fruits and a stronger perception of perfume, accompanied by coffee freshness, custard cream sweetness, the umami of barley, seafood dashi and soy sauce, a subtle peatiness, creamy and long-lasting finish. The perfume fades almost entirely. [Good/Very Good, Interesting] This is the Vatted Malt (Blended Malt) 'Supreme' bottled by Signatory in 1997. Remarkably, it is a blend of 104 different malts, matured for six months in sherry casks after blending. While the exact proportions are unknown, all cask details including distilleries and vintages used are documented (see photo on the right). Notably, it includes rare malts such as Ardmore 1967, Clydesdale 1965, Glenfarclas 1959, Highland Park 1965, Kilchoman 1972, Lagavulin 1966, Macallan 1964, Rosebank 1960, Springbank 1969, centered around the 1960s and 1970s. Additionally, some younger malts from the 1990s are included. Recently, I recall a similar blend like Samaroli's. Regarding the core content, due to the high proportion of long-matured malts from older vintages, the initial impression strongly conveys a matured character. The youthful barley notes that follow the matured nuances might originate from casks of 1990s distillations. Despite the time elapsed since bottling in 1997, I felt a lack of cohesion with each element asserting itself individually. It's like an orchestra composed entirely of soloists, with the atmosphere suggesting that these soloists might change over time. Speculatively, the most prominent cask seems to be Edradour 1976. The strong perfume-like notes in the initial taste and the creamy coffee freshness are characteristic of Edradour. I discovered this by tasting first without knowing it contained Edradour, then later identifying it from the list. However, the distinctive perfume is noticeable in the first half but becomes less prominent in the latter half and finish due to other cask influences. With its matured character and enjoyable tasting experience as described, I found myself wanting more. The soloists might change in the future, so I'd like to try it again. This bottle was kindly provided by Mr. IAN at Mitsukoshi-Mae. Mr. IAN recently celebrated his 4th anniversary in July. Congratulations! #Blended or Vatted Malt