Mini SBT from Oshima-san

The Mini SBT with Oshima-san, a regular collaborator in the malt community, has received a new blind sample. I was grateful to have the opportunity to try it. (Contents of the blind tasting are as follows.) ・Mini SBT from Oshima-san The aroma is very estery with a diverse range of fruits: green apple, muscat, peach, grapefruit peel, orange peel, loquat, tea, matured notes, dry grain, oak, vanilla, and a hint of peat in the background. On the palate, it is similarly estery with fruity notes: muscat, green apple, a stronger tar-like peatiness, some vegetal characteristics, and a subtle bitterness in the finish. The body is light with a refined syrup sweetness and some oil. [Good/Very Good] The aroma is estery with a diverse array of fruits, offering an intoxicating experience. The tar-like peatiness that emerges after drinking is very distinctive and may be divisive. Personally, I enjoy this characteristic, reminiscent of the personality often found in older Highland malts. However, the body is very light, and I wondered if it was slightly over-oxidized or under-ripe, leaning more towards the latter due to its cask strength reduction. This style is similar to lower-proof bottles from Duncan Taylor, particularly long-aged ones like Longrow or Ronas. While the peatiness after drinking is appealing, this seems more of an aroma-driven malt rather than a full-bodied experience. A low-proof (40-46%) whisky aged over 30 years, likely distilled in the 1970s. The distillery prediction was very challenging, but I felt the fruity characteristics were more reflective of bottler choices and maturation periods rather than the distillery itself. I opted for Highland peat-focused options. ・Predictions: 1. MacDuff 2. GlenDronach 3. Ardmore Other considerations included Springbank, Glenrothes, and GlenTalisker. With this tasting and prediction, I sent my response email. The correct answer was... Glen Scotia GLENSCOTIA 1972-2010 38yo THE WHISKY AGENCY private stock 40.1% one of 92 bottles, EX-BOURBON HOGSHEAD This was a Glen Scotia 1972, 38-year-old private stock from THE WHISKY AGENCY. While I haven't encountered such peaty Scotch before, I have experienced similar fruity profiles in older Scotch whiskies. The vintage and aging period were roughly as predicted, and it was reassuring that my guess about the cask strength reduction was accurate. The host, Oshima-san, had predicted that THE WHISKY AGENCY might have purchased the Octave from Duncan Taylor due to its rarity, which was close to my own prediction. The truth remains unknown, but this bottle had an exceptionally wonderful aroma that I thoroughly enjoyed. Thank you again, Oshima-san.