SMWS Cask 42.36 13yo...

SMWS Cask 42.36 13yo (61.9%): I know it's been a while... Let me pick up where we left off like it was yesterday: Second SMWSA bottling to follow cask 96.22 I reviewed before is a 13yo Ledaig carrying the cask number 42.36. It is distilled on March 3rd, 2005 and matured in a 2nd fill ex-bourbon barrel which yielded on 170 bottles.

Color: Sauvignon Blanc, straw color with very persistent and oily legs.

Nose: Sea breeze, freshly shucked oysters and pool water. Peat doesn't jump out as the first thing. Faint diesel fuel, lime juice and unstruck matches. A few drops of water opens it up nicely. More fruit and even less peat now: Sparkly lemonade, four berry jam and honey. Cranberry juice and grape preserves.

Palate: Oh, my... It's salty. Mouth covering rock salt, grilled banana peppers and charred steak. Again water works. Grilled pineapple rings, red pepper flakes and spicy hot beef jerky.

Finish: Very very long with red pepper butter.

Overall: It is peppery, salty and to be honest not very layered but extremely refreshing, vibrant and tongue tingling. You feel that peat is there throughout the whole experience but it doesn't show up as a dominant tasting note anywhere. You nose and taste it like the incence smoke you smell right away when you enter a house but cannot tell exactly where it is coming from. Nice one...

Price: $120

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