鑫小子：This one for some friendly Scandinavian country, where the weather is cold and the souls warm. Colour: rich amber. Nose: it’s a medicinal sherried one again, but not one that roars and shouts, I find it relatively restrained. Antiseptic, struck matches, roasted chestnuts, black tea, black earth, black liquorice, black chewing tobacco… well, anything black, including black pepper. Quite some peat as well, but raw damp peat, not peat smoke. With water: love this development on old books, damp earth, and even plasticine and graphite. Mouth (neat): as much as I did not find the nose too ‘wham-bam’, I find this arrival very finely chiselled and powerful for a sherried Karuizawa, around bitter orange marmalade and pickled ginger.
鑫小子：There’s even a mustardy side, while the fruitier parts are slowly coming to the surface. Well, that would be more oranges. Always something flinty in the back. With water: becomes very oloroso-ish, with walnuts and a little more (sweet) mustard. Gentler, softer, easier. Finish: long, spicier. Some good sulphur, and always an earthiness. Comments: we’re not losing altitude, are we. This rather dry baby wasn’t one of the most extravagant oloroso-ed Karuizawas, but it sure was great.
