Smögen Distillery is located on the West coast of Sweden. They produce peated whiskies always bottled at cask strength and with massive flavours. I have shared many of my tasting notes on whiskies from Smögen, the latest was Smögen 8 YO (batch 2021).
Here is what they say about Dante:
No 18: Smögen ”Dante” (a.k.a. ”The Bloodhound”), the first 10 yo bottling, at 57,8 % abv and released in the summer of 2021. Fully matured in four ex Sauternes barrique casks with a base from merely lightly peated malt, this whisky is a honeyed fruit salad on the nose, sprinkled with freshly baked bread crumbs, dark chocolate and some nutmeg and clove. Bottled in honour of the distillery dog, Dante the Bloodhound, who with his superior sense of smell has been at the distillery all the way from the very first bottling, greeting passing casks as well as visitors with an intrusive sniff and a kind wagging of the tail.
Unfortunately it is not available in Norway, and there are only a few left in Sweden at SEK 896.
Delicate sweetness meets the nose! Of course it is peated as always from Smögen, but the Sauternes cask “hides” the smoke. It is a velvety, soft og gentle smoke, very pleasant. The sweetness reminds me of plum jam. It is fruity. There is also a hint of caramel sauce. Wow, it is so smooth on the palate. The peat is very nicely integrated with the sweetness from the Sauternes cask. I get tropical fruits like pineapple, mango, papaya and Cantaloupe. Wow! The finish is lingering with fruity and spicy notes and some salted butter.
My score: nose 24 / taste 24 / finish 23 / balance 23 = 94
I have said this many times: Peated whisky + Sauternes cask = perfect combination! This might be the best whisky I have tasted from Smögen, even though the single cask editions matured in bourbon casks are among my favorites.
I am so sorry Dante is no longer with us. I have never met any dog like him! An almost 50 kg playful bloodhound with a huge nose. Looking forward to meeting the puppy Pluto, though!
-Tone
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