Mini SBT from naoskprs Sample: D

A regular Mini SBT session with my malt friend naoskprs, this time sample D. (Blind tasting notes below) ・Mini SBT from naoskprs Sample: D Strong aroma with raisin and grape notes, dried fruits, mint, black sugar, pronounced woodiness, estery notes reminiscent of Semillón, a good rum-like fragrance, oily characteristics similar to Irish whiskey. On the palate, it's very smooth with a viscous mouthfeel, grapey fruitiness with juice, strong sweetness and richness reminiscent of black sugar itself. Though the alcohol content seems low, it's rich and full-bodied with a syrupy texture. 【Very Good】 The concentrated fruity complexity and the rich, sticky sweetness left a strong impression. First thought: Rum (long-aged). It has aging character, though I've never tasted anything like this. I've experienced similar nuances in strong Armagnac, and some elements like the oiliness share similarities with Irish whiskey. However, the sweetness feels excessively strong compared to those. A very sweet dessert-like dram that didn't feel like whiskey at all, but it was extremely delicious. ・Prediction: Rum (long-aged) Based on this tasting and prediction, I sent my response email. The correct answer was... Ron Zacapa Centenario XO 40% (Ron Zacapa XO Centenario Solera Gran Reserva Especial) It was indeed rum. It seems to be a special rum finished in French oak casks filled with Cognac, which might explain the strong grape-like Armagnac characteristics I detected. Though clearly different from malt whiskey, it was interesting that commonalities with malt were pointed out, probably because of the lack of preconceptions. Despite the unconventional question, it was sweet and very delicious. It doesn't seem prohibitively expensive, so having a bottle at home for when you want something sweet wouldn't be bad. Thank you, naoskprs, for always providing interesting SBT challenges. This time my prediction was terrible, but it made me think about 90s Springbank. #Other #SBT