I know many of those trivia buffs would have read it as Happiness is a warm gun by The Beatles (Paul, John, ..) Well the name is linked to the Beatles song.
This is 5years old. Priced circa €210. SMWS bottling come in various levels. This one is a black label with golden engraving, meaning it is a luxury line. 134 refers to Paul John distillery and ‘6’ implies that this is the 6th cask bottled by SMWS from Paul John. 207 bottles were bottled from this cask. Most SMWS are single casks.
Curiosity kills the goose. It did happen with Kanya, an expression I ‘personally’ felt a tad pricy for what it was. I did not pull the trigger in 134.5 but when the 134.6 came up, I pulled the trigger.
This whisky is peated.
Colour: Lemon
Nose: I do not think I can put down everything but I shall try as I found the nosing the most rewarding experience while tasting this whisky. Sharp, clean with Peat, toasted oak, freshly ground pepper, peat that’s bit like the one in Laphroaig with subtle iodine & herbal character, zesty lemon, saltiness. 2 drops of water brought sweetness, flowery notes and some fresh ginger (or capsicum??) with some earthy mushroom notes.
Palate: Full. A bit of burning sensation from the high ABV. Peppery notes I would say. Peat does not dominate but more like a harmonious blend. I get this herbal taste more like meat rub or fish rub herbs. (parsely, thyme, oregano) A distant menthol but more like a hot solid block. Watered version has some fruitiness & vanilla. Some elaichi but more like a basket full which has the green tinge to it. The official tasting notes say its jasmine tea, spiced lentil soup & parsnips. Thanks for that.
Finish: Short medium. The age reflects here. Mouth coating dry heat lingers with some bitter bitter oakiness. Some peat waves return.
Final thoughts: An obscurely priced whisky I thought. Dared to try it. Turned out to be a memorable experience. This is what whisky tasting is all about. Exploring the whisky world. A particular cask bottling might give u that mind boggling and a rewarding experiencing. Best Paul John I had .
