Goalong Small Batch
A 5 year old single malt from China
Recently I had a whisky date with a friend planned. A night of trying drams and playing games online. You know, just a fun night.
I brought some bottles, he bought some bottles.
And he bought this one: The Goalong Single Malt Small Batch 5yo Chinese whiskey.
The Goalong brand was founded in 2011, but the distillery openend in early 2018 in Liuyang, Hunan region, China.
It is actually a very large set up distillery, making different liquors. Their first batches are being rolled out for 2 years now I think, and they are kind enough to take you on a digital tour through their distillery.
What I noticed it that they spend a lot of attention for detail in the packaging of their products. As was the case with this bottle.
A very nice box with laces to carry it and an ingenious way to take the bottle out of the box.
This 5yo single malt small batch was aged on bourbon and brandy casks and this bottle, with number 1197, was bottled at 48% Vol.
I suspect no coloring was added, but I'm not sure. Neither could I find any information about the filtering. (So, Goalong Distillery, if you read this, let me know!) (Edit 21-02-23: Goalong reached out to me and let me know it is actually on the bottle and the box. I totally missed that. The whisky is non-chillfiltered and no caramel has been added for coloring. Thank you Goalong, for reaching out!)
The color of this whisky is awesome. A very bright golden yellow. Almost no lines in my glass after a twirl.
On the nose: Fresh grass, sweet fruits, hay, wood and honey. Even some sweet rice notes. You get the malt as well. Some dried fruits like raisins.
Taste: Balanced but a bit sharp. You get the taste of grains. Some nice bitter notes next to very tropical fruits. Maybe some faint mango and lychee.
The finish: Short but warm. Licht hoppy flavor lingering on the tongue. Was hoping for some more of that fruit, but like I said, a short finish.
This review was possible thanks to Times, who was so kind to share a dram with me.
