Mini SBT from naoskprs

This Mini SBT, regularly conducted with my malt friend naoskprs, has received a new sample. ※Due to forgetting to take photos, the image is just for reference and may not be accurate. (The following are blind tasting notes.) ・Mini SBT from naoskprs ・Aroma Good old character, grapefruit peel, loquat, slightly peach, cider-like apple notes, faint dry plantiness, moist malt, and a hint of tar-like old peat in the background. ・Flavor Mild mouthfeel, grapefruit peel, cider, pear, silky yet penetrating texture on the tongue, refined wheat sweetness and acidity, a solid briny note, old peat in the finish. Although the body is somewhat light with some subtlety, it leaves a very pleasant aftertaste. ・Overall Impression A highly fruity and delicious old bottle. The old peat character emerged from the depths. It seems to be a bottle that has aged significantly after bottling, with a slightly faded body but good condition. The diverse fruity notes, particularly the grapefruit peel nuance, were very appealing. From the old character and peat nuances, it seems to be an old bottling from the 70s-80s, with distillation likely in the late 60s to early 70s. The remaining grain nuances suggest less long maturation, indicating a short-matured old bottling with added water, possibly resembling older official standard bottles. Among old bottles of this specification that exhibit such fruity notes, GlenDronach, Old Mortander, Caol Ila, Knockando, Springbank, and Bruichladdich come to mind. If the peat had been more pronounced, Bowmore or Lagavulin would also be candidates for their fruity character, but it wasn't that strong. I was torn between Bank and Dronach as first choices, and further deliberated on the third choice, but ultimately chose Bruichladdich due to its distinctive cider-like nuance. 【Very Good】 Predicted Distillery: ① GlenDronach, ② Springbank, ③ Bruichladdich Distillation Year: Around 1970 Maturation Age: 12-18 years Alcohol Content: 40-43% Cask Type: Multiple cask vatting Based on the above tasting notes and predictions, I sent my response email. The correct answer was... Knockando KNOCKANDO 1979-1994 15yo OB 43% It was the official Knockando 1979, 15-year-old bottling. It had a notable old character and was slightly younger than I expected, but the specs were largely as predicted. Since the distillery was among my initial guesses, I'm fairly satisfied with this result. The intention behind the question was 'grain character and bottle aging,' focusing on the penetrating grain flavor felt in malt that has aged after bottling. The idea was that 'even if a new release isn't particularly delicious now, it might become more flavorful over time in the bottle.' He mentioned that 'such bottles have a weaker attack and their flavor fades quickly after opening,' which I completely agree with. The 'moist, penetrating grain sweetness' is something I often use in tasting notes and enjoy, but it's also a term that many find confusing. It's often associated with short-matured old bottles where the grain character remains after aging in the bottle. It was a meaningful topic to explore, and I'm grateful for this wonderful bottling. #Knockando (KNOCKANDO) #SBT