New Zealand 19 Years Old 1993 Cask #32 ~ 55.4% (New Zealand Whisky Company)

• New Zealand single malt whisky
• 55.4% ABV, £95 for 70cl
• Score: 87/100

What they say:

Single cask single malt from the Willowbank distillery, which was sadly closed in 1997. However, the New Zealand Whisky Company are more than happy to bottle their whisky, which is a lovely thing indeed! This is a 19 year old single malt, distilled in 1993 and matured in a single cask (#32). It was bottled in March 2013.

What I say:

Dram #5 at the WOLS Edinburgh Whisky Blog World Tour Tasting! was from New Zealand. Distilled in 1993 at the Willowbank distillery and matured for 19 years in Cask #32 before bottling at 55.4% ABV cask strength by the New Zealand Whisky Company.

Colour:

Light amber gold (7/20), light tears

Nose:

Light cereal barley, manuka honey, tropical fruits, kiwi, guava, apple and pear, with water much more fruit and vanilla aromas were released

Taste:

Spiced caramel, manuka honey, fruity, quite light in the mouth (like grain whisky), sherbet, Irn Bru, sweet and zesty, citric, orange and grapefruit oil and zest

Finish:

Short-medium, zesty fruits and sweet oak wood

Overall:

Needed water as it was a little too concentrated and locked-in neat. Opens up to reveal masses of fruit, some quite tropical – indicative of some aging maturation, wood effect was quite light comparatively.