Even if its name doesn’t appear on the bottle, it is indeed a Willowbank. Created from 100% New Zealand barley, this bottling of the distillery closed in 1997 had what it takes to draw our attention…
Nose : It is round but without great power. We sense honey, sweetened condensed milk, pineapple and yellow fruits (peaches, apricots) but also almonds and beaten eggs. As a result of the reduction, melt is the keyword of this nose. The opening brings us a chemical ounce (paint, plastic). It’s soft but it is a nose that possesses a few surprises.
Mouth : It is very watery but the profile got lost in the way. We do have a hint of honey, a chemical note and a bit of peach but those flavors are shifty. It seems the cask worked too much with a spicy and woody episode in the mouth second part. It’s pretty neutral and flat. Truth be told, we’re a bit bored. We expected way more after the notes perceived at nose.
Finish : It’s very short with a very reduced persistence. We still have a bit of honey and smoke with, of course, spices and wood. The aftertaste isn’t richer flavor-wise.
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