THE NEW ZEALAND WHISKY COLLECTION 33 ans 1988 Single Cask Conquête

Nose : refined, complex. Characterized by notes of beeswax and acacia honey, the first nose beams with freshness and maturity. At times mimicking a sake (rice grains), it becomes spicy (pinch of salt and clove) and candied (lemon, pear) once allowed to breathe. The aroma palette lingers on bourbon vanilla, pecan and sage.

Appearance : vieil or.

Palate : powerful, lively. The energetic attack is tangy at first (grapefruit zest). Very quickly, however, it becomes rich (Normandy tart), spicy (star anise, ginger), honeyed (beeswax) and mentholated. Note that, like the nose, the palette shows an indefatigable youthful spirit, reflected in fruity elements of marmalade and quince jelly.

Overall : long, alert. Like a Northern Highlands single malt, the start of the finish boasts a very pleasant salinity. It is also incredibly malty and rooted in an absorbent earth rich in trace minerals. Zan liquorice sweets then bring lots of softness to the retro-nasal olfaction. All of these tones move unmistakably closer to peat, a move confirmed in the medicinal notes that then arrive (ointment, camphor). The empty glass is a mass of malted, floral, mentholated, liquorice and earthy aromas.