Smögen 9 yo '90° Proof' (51.4%, OB, Sweden, batch L001, +/-2022) Five stars I believe this one's new. I mean, I don't see it anywhere… Colour: white wine. Nose: wee touches of pears, plus a perfect coastal smoke, fresh dough, fresh sourdough, coal dust and fresh almond paste. What's always superb in these wee Smögens is their perfect simplicity. Almost abstract whisky, cutting to the chase. With water: more coal, carbon, cellar dust, carbolineum, old paints… Mouth (neat): hope no one's going to hate me if I write that this is Caol Ila with a little more, well, a little more coal? Perfectly well-carved, pure, salty, lemony, with kippers, fat dry doughs, grapefruits, granny smith and the tiniest touch of peppermint. A little candy sugar to round this off. With water: more and more on brine. Are they already growing olives in Sweden? Finish: long, ultra-clean, salty, coastal, peaty, lemony… Comments: perfectly simple and simply perfect (that was lame at best, S.). SGP:457 - 90 points.