Mackmyra Special:07 Hope ~ 45.8% (Mackmyra)

• Swedish single malt whisky
• 45.8% ABV, £67.45 for 70cl
• Score: 89/100

What they say:

Mackmyra Special:07 is a complex whisky with salty notes of both autumn and sea; a berry, smoky and spicy character. A blend of our recipes Smoke and Elegant has been matured in several different cask types from 30 to 200 litres. It has finished on casks that have been saturated with cloudberry wine.

Nose: The nose is prominently spicy and smoky with a complex palette of fruity and berry scents. A delicious berry note with fresh acidity, prominent saltiness, and cloudberries with spicy Swedish oak, peat and juniper smoke, fudge and honey.

Taste: The palate is smoky, spicy and fruity with juniper, peat, butterscotch and dried fruit. The aftertaste is spicy, slightly smoky, salty and fruity.

Colour: Golden yellow. No coloring has been used.

What I say:

Dram #1 at the WOLS Edinburgh Whisky Blog World Tour Tasting! was the Mackmyra Special:07 Hope edition representing Sweden. Regular visitors to the blog may have noticed a particular fondness we have for Mackmyra’s whiskies and this one was no exception.

Colour:

Light amber gold (6/20), medium tears

Nose:

Sweet, smooth caramel sauce and toffee, fruity, peach, pear, banana, guava, slightly tropical, some gristy cereal barley notes

Taste:

Again sweet and smooth on the palate, gentle fruitiness, peach, pear, strawberries and cream, vanilla, crème brulee, spiced earthy peat and cinnamon

Finish:

Long gently peated creamy fruit

Overall:

Very good, nice and varied throughout. The influences of the Swedish peat, juniper wood and cloudberry wine casks are well incorporated and subtly matched by the spirit character in the whisky.