Gnatz The Sherry Fool 2013 Coastalboy

Coastal Boy? Never heard of it. And yet this German independent bottler – Mario Walter – has been active for a while. Most of his 'Eigenabfüllungen' are bottles of 350ml or 500ml, including this special Gnatz 2013 of which there are only 35 half liter bottles (were?). It is a malt that was distilled on Islay, matured on a refill sherry octave, but was bottled in Bielefeld, Germany. I owe my sample to my good friend Bart A. I have no idea what Gnatz may mean.

Delicious peated nose with all kinds of sherry influences. Seaweed wrapped around a date wrapped with bacon, et voila! Raisins and plums, a medicinal touch, salted caramel and steak tartare. Ship's ropes, rocky coast... this nose is excellent!

Nice and oily, almost viscous on the tongue. Delicious interplay between on the one hand the peated, almost salty malt and the sherry cask on the other hand. Dark fruit immersed in seawater, really. But it works perfectly.

The aftertaste is long, very long with a few notes of roasted oak, nut liqueur and ashes, but with candied syrup on the deathbed.

This one immediately reminds me of the amazing Vital Spark, which we know is a sherry-matured Caol Ila. Thanks for the sample, Bart!