North Star Vega 40 Year Old Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Indie bottlers have been delivering some massive age statements of late, while keeping the prices very, very reasonable. Here's one that's reported to be an "absolute belter". It's the second release in North Star Spirits' Vega series, and it's a Sherry bomb. Only 400 bottles produced. Distilled in October 1977, matured in both Spanish and American oak for a minimum of four decades before bottling in 2018 at 43.1% Alc./Vol. Needless to say, we have less than a handful to sell.

Other reviews... There was a 23 yo Vega last year and it was just excellent (WF 87). Colour: amber. Nose: doesn’t feel very ‘blended’, and does feel very classically sherried, without excesses, with a perfect chocolate-iness, some cigars, a touch of hessian, some blackcurrants, some old oloroso, a little earth, whiffs of clean old wine barrel, and a handful of wild mushrooms. Proper raw chocolate beans, torrefaction, roasted coffee… Everything’s just impeccable. Mouth: it’s the freshness that’s pretty impressive, the fruits (freshly squeezed orange juice with cloves), and the light chocolate/coffee/clove combo. Gets then more oloroso-y, darker, with more bitter chocolate and ‘crunching coffee beans’. Mexican mole sauce. Body and strength are just perfect. Finish: medium, on oranges and chocolate. Jaffa cake, orangette, Demerara sugar. A touch of beef bouillon and black tobacco (Gauloise) in the aftertaste, plus mushrooms, penny buns, shitake… Comments: did you notice that we haven’t used the word ‘oak’? Not even once?
90 points - Serge Valentin, whiskyfun.com