General description
48%, non-chillfiltered and a solid age statement for (initially) well under 40 € - did this bottling accidentally drop out of a time machine?
Nose
The Glenlivet pears are front and center, along with ripe honeydew melon and peach as well as some unexpectedly heavy and fragrant oak tones (sandalwood, coconut, cinnamon)... Then also a floral side: rosewater and lemongrass, perhaps? Though I doubt that there were sherry casks involved here, it does also convey a "dark" impression (charcoal, deep oak spices), leading me to suspect a combination of re-charred, first-fill and perhaps virgin oak. At any rate, an impressive, deeply wooded nose that seems older and more settled than the stated age suggests. Maybe they did actually throw some older stuff in the mix here to achieve this result, who knows.
Palate
What strikes me first is the texture: it's very oily and thick, with a huge "natural" barley flavor that reminds me of some Irish pot still whiskies. So as far as mouthfeel is concerned, this NCF experiment was a success. Banana puree, oatmeal, pear juice, crêpes sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar... The melon + peach combo from the nose makes an appearance as well. Not overly complex, but extremely on point, with very pronounced and clearly distinguishable flavor components. It's also insanely mild and (yes:) smooth for 48%: this goes down like sweet syrup, you don't feel the alcohol at all.
Finish
Lots of caramelized oak and some soft, sweet fruit notes.
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