Yesterday I reviewed the Miygikyo 12 and found it just a little too put together. How does the 15 year old fare?
- Photo Credit: whiskymag.jp
Yesterday’s blind tasting whisky was the Tobermory 10, which I had recently reviewed, so I’m sticking with notes from the London Whisky Show that I didn’t get to yet.
Photo Credit: masterquill.wordpress.com
Miyagikyo 15 Year Old (45% ABV)
Appearance: Light Bronze and sluggish, thin legs.
Nose: Dusty tangerine, sherry notes with some dried fruit. There’s a very faint balsamic note present in the background, getting stronger as it breathes. Cookie dough and malt are present under the sherry.
Palate: Sherry and light smoke, orange or tangerine sweetness with cinnamon and nutmeg.
Linger: Sweet citrus notes on the tongue, spice in the back of the throat leaving the mouth dry with a hint of smoke (not peat, more wood smoke).
Conclusion
The 15 year old does not suffer from the “perfection” flaw the 12 has. This whisky is complex, far looser and less tight than the 12 year old and has the undertones and imperfect balsamic, an indistinction between orange and tangerine and some of the cask got in there too.
Despite being a great dram, at the nearly £100 you’d have to leave in the store for this expression, you can do better.
Speaking of doing better, do you have a recommendation for better drams in this price range?
Hi Tom,
At £100 you have a world full of options, Not knowing where you are I’ll just name a few official bottling favorites at that range more or less:
Glenfarclas 21 (or 25 if you go a tad over), Lagavulin 12 Year Old, Old Pulteney 21, GlenDronach 20 Year Old 1994 (cask 2822), Balblair 1990, Talisker 18….
Michael
Thanks for the advice! In terms of availability in Israel, I guess we are only talking about Glenfarclas 21 and Talisker 18. The latter does seem quite attractive, I think I’ll go for it.