North Star Vega 28 year 1990

Nose: Intense and deep, with dried plums steeped in sherry (likely Oloroso, maybe with some PX influence), baked fruit, fruitcake, walnuts, almonds, caramel, and mocha. Palate: Smooth, rich, and expansive sherry entry. Oak's gentle spice emerges during development, but the focus is on dark fruitcake or Christmas pudding, honey, red berries, nutmeg, and dark chocolate. The mouthfeel is wonderfully creamy. Finish: Extended. The gentle fruitcake notes fade into a dry cocoa aftertaste with a hint of chili. The aroma is rich yet lively, possessing an overall bright sweetness. Adding water amplifies this sweetness, deepens the sherry notes, and reveals a touch of oak. The palate becomes smoother with time, but that bittersweet quality at the very end persists. I can't identify the specific components of this blend, but the palate reminds me of numerous robust, sherry-forward Speyside single malts (though perhaps not the absolute finest or most intricate). It's well-rounded, yet arguably a little flat (just enough to keep it from a higher rating) - however, it's definitely more than just a simple sherry profile. This is the fourth iteration of Vega, and its character is largely consistent with previous releases. Unlike blended malts such as Johnnie Walker Green Label or Compass Box Spice Tree, North Star Spirits' Vega isn't blended internally. Instead, the company sources barrels of mature, blended single malts and then combines them for each release. Consequently, the editions differ in age and specifics based on availability, though I wouldn't be surprised if the origin remains the same. With 800 bottles produced for this batch, I'd estimate it's a combination of 3 or 4 barrels. Of the Vega releases to date, I found the second to be the best, but this remains a very excellent blended malt whisky at a reasonable cost. "Very Good": 85/100 (4 stars)

Nose: Unusual, but abundant with mint, berries, and bananas. Mouth: Some interesting spices at first, but they don't integrate or develop well. Vanilla is in the background. Finish: It's just okay, unremarkable and flat.