Blind Tasting Game at Bar Show

Recently, I participated in this year's Tokyo International Bar Show WHISKY LIVE, and I also posted a brief report. At the saketry booth (Scotch Malt sales), Shigeyuki Yoshimura, known as Sōzu-san, unveiled his newly designed tasting glass called 'Cosmos.' As part of the event, participants who purchased the Cosmos glass were given blind samples. A lottery was held to give away one Cosmos glass to those who correctly identified the sample. I participated at Sōzu-san's recommendation. The system involved selecting between three options: Speyside, Highlands, and Islay. I chose option C, which was Islay. When I tasted it at home, I wanted to avoid preconceptions, so I drank half of the sample without looking at the options. The strong, sharp peat and barley notes, along with vanilla, slightly fresh citrus, and a cool nuance of chlorine or metal were apparent. My first impression was Ardbeg, and after some consideration, I thought it might be Caol Ila. When I checked the options, Ardbeg was indeed there! Drinking the remaining half confirmed it as Ardbeg. (laughs) I answered with Ardbeg, and to my delight, the correct answer was Ardbeg 10 Year Old Official. Even better, I won a Cosmos glass in the lottery! The Cosmos glass is slightly large but fits comfortably in the hand. I noticed a great aroma spread during nosing. Trying it with various types of malt, as long as the amount of malt wasn't too small, the aroma felt natural and well-expanded, making it easy to identify each element. I was so impressed that I bought a second one, only for it to be followed by this lucky win. Since I often drink multiple types at home, having several of these glasses is always a good thing. My life hasn't been very lucky with lotteries, so this rare fortune was a pleasant surprise that lifted my mood.