Mini SBT from Oshima-san

A sample of Mini SBT was sent by Oshima-san, a malt friend. I immediately tried it. Mini SBT from Oshima-san ・Aroma: Good sherry, black sugar, plums and berries, dried fruits, bitter chocolate and American coffee, roasted barley emerges from the depths, slightly clay-like earthiness, herbs like celery, Danish pastry with berry jam. ・Flavor: The attack is not strong but smooth, lacks nobility but has a high-quality sherry without being off-putting, the same rich fruity notes as the aroma, a good balance between thick jam-like sweetness and light coffee bitterness, slightly earthy rustic notes with leather, Danish pastry, nuts, and barley flavors seep through from the depths, a rich, sweet, long finish. ・Overall Evaluation: It feels like it contains elements of recent vintages, but the sherry character without off-putting notes covers the malt. The diverse fruity notes and their thick sweetness, coffee-like bitterness, and gentle earthiness were impressive. The mouthfeel is also smooth, with a refined nuance despite not being old, which was a good impression. *Interestingly, the first time I drank it, it felt very much like recent vintages, but with the second and third tastings, the impression gradually shifted toward a more refined direction. Distillery prediction was considered mainly based on sherry impressions. Slight elements similar to recent PX (Port) casks like Danish pastry were faint, but as a recent vintage, it didn't have any off-putting characteristics. The sherry character with earthiness makes me think of GlenDronach or Glenfarclas personally. The two that came to mind were these. The slightly clay-like nuance felt in the soil was easy to associate with GlenDronach, but over time it seemed more like Glenfarclas. The vintage has a sherry character without sulfur, and with recent nuances, it feels like around 1990. Over time, a bit more refined nuance also emerged. There was a faint hint of the 1970s, which made me a bit hesitant. Conversely, I rarely feel recent nuances in the 1970s, so ultimately predicted it to be a non-sulfur 1980s late or around 1990. I was a bit unsure whether it was a CS with reduced proof or high dilution, but the official-like feel made me lean toward the latter. If it's an official dilution, it might be a good one from around 2000. 【Good/Very Good】 Predicted Distilleries: ① Glenfarclas, ② GlenDronach, ③ None Distillation Year: Around 1990 Maturation Years: Approximately 20 years ABV: Around 46% Cask Type: Sherry Butt I sent a response email with the above tasting notes and predictions. The correct answer was... Macallan MACALLAN 1990 18yo OB 43%. It was an 18-year-old Macallan bottled around 7 years ago. The specs were almost spot on, but I had thought it was definitely one of the two options above, so it was quite shocking. The intention behind Oshima-san's question was that while recent Macallans are often said to have become less delicious, there might be a type where it takes time after bottling for the full character to emerge. They wanted to verify whether giving it more time would show it's not that bad. Indeed, the sherry character of recent seasoned sherry casks in Macallan isn't something I particularly enjoy. (I also often feel the same kind of character in other Edrington Group distilleries like Highland Park.) However, this bottle had recent elements but didn't have the off-putting sulfur or other negative characteristics upfront. In fact, I had suspected it might be a recent sherry cask type due to its nuances, and I was looking for the Macallan-like sherry character but couldn't detect it. While my skills might have been lacking, I think the direction is becoming more favorable. It's common to experience that sherry casks from the 1990s, which initially smelled sulfury or soy sauce-like and seemed off-putting, can mellow out over time. In bars too, bottles that were once said to be very sulfury when bottled 10 years ago often no longer have those elements, and instead seem to have evolved into more pleasant components with increased complexity. In fact, even my favorite 1960s noble sherry cask Macallans weren't as appealing when first bottled, and I can't confirm their appeal at that time. It's likely the result of aging. If a seasoned sherry cask has the same character as older ones, would it emerge through bottle aging? I think that's difficult personally. However, I now realize that judging current sherry casks as not delicious immediately after release might be premature. As mentioned earlier, we no longer have the knowledge of how sherry casks from older times tasted at bottling. Besides Edrington's sherry casks, current new releases have various types of sherry casks. I'd like to thoroughly understand them and be able to explain how they change over 10, 20, or 30 years for future drinkers. It's a long-term goal but also very exciting. Thank you, Oshima-san, for the thought-provoking question.