A very intriguing whisky from Sweden's Mackmyra, made in collaboration with Japanese tea specialists Yuko Ono Sthlm. Grönt Te is a Swedish single malt which has been finished in casks that were freshly seasoned with a blend of Oloroso sherry and green tea leaves! Specifically, Mackmyra used Yame Sencha, Yame Gyokuro, Kaoribo Hojicha and Yame Matcha Shinobi teas for this expression, which has imparted fragrant, herbaceous notes to the whisky.

TASTING NOTES

Nose

There’s an initial vanilla flash and quite the piercing alco burst here. When it settles it reveals a combo of creamy fudge and raisins in the back but the overwhelming scent is a menthol, minty, and slightly herbal one – like some sort of old-school cough drops or, I guess with the tea connotations, it’s more like a cold peppermint tea rather than green tea.

Taste

A real surge of orchard fruits fill the mouth. Apples and pears particularly. It’s got a sweetness and tartness that puts conference pears to mind. There’s a good boozy tingle to boot from the alcohol, malt and oak spices all mingling together. Think white pepper and, maybe on the Japanese theme, pickled ginger.

Finish

There’s quite the drying finish to it with a little sherbet sweetness that goes away and leaves behind a grassy/vegetal note – definitely showcasing the green tea flavour outright as a tasting note on the finale.

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