Diznókõ Tokaji Aszú (2008) Review & Tasting Notes

You've looked at the title. If you're like me, you can't even figure out how to pronounce it. So, what the heck is Diznókõ Tokaji Aszú?  

My 2020 Whiskey of the Year was The Dublin Liberties Murder Lane Irish whiskey. What made it special was it was finished in Tokaji wine casks. I was so in love with it that I had to chase down the wine in the cask.  By the way, that's something I've never done before. On a side note, Tokaji was also used to finish Glenmorangie's Tale of Cake. 

So, what the heck is Tokaji wine?

Well, the most important thing to know is it is from Hungary, and that explains why unless you're fluent in Hungarian, you'd have difficulty saying the name.  Tokaji has to come from the Tokaji region of Hungary. Neighboring Slovakia may also legally use the term, but only if they follow the established Hungarian methods. Six varietals of grapes are used in the production of Tokaji: Furmint, Hárslevelű, Yellow Muscat, Zéta, Kövérszőlő, and Kabar. While there are several types of Tokaji wines, the most famous and revered is Aszú. Aszú is made from grapes subjected to noble rot. Yup, you read that right. Rot. It is a fungus that grows on the grape. It creates a sweet, luxurious wine. 

Diznókõ's release is a 2008 vintage and has a puttonyos rating of 5, which measures sweetness. In the world of affordable wines, it doesn't come cheap, although the $35.00 cost for the 500ml bottle wasn't obnoxious (you can spend much, much more on Tokaji). 

Before I get to the tasting notes, remember, I'm a whiskey guy. I don't write about wine, and unless Mrs. Whiskeyfellow asks nicely, I rarely drink it. I'm handling this just like I'd do a review for whiskey, and it will be rated on the same Bottle, Bar, or Bust scale.  Let's get to it!

Appearance:  In my Riedel Copita glass, this Tokaji wine presented the color of topaz. It created a heavy rim with thick, sticky legs that eventually fell back to the pool.

Nose:  An explosion of orange blossom filled the air as soon as I pulled the cork. The only other thing I smelled was honey. When I breathed in through my mouth, I tasted a bit of vanilla, but it was mostly honey. 

Palate:  The mouthfeel was thick and silky. The flavors were exactly like the nose. Orange blossom and honey. Front, middle, and back. There was nothing else going on.

Finish:  Here's where things changed up.  The citrus flavor that came through was lime, not the expected orange. It was joined by oak tannins. The oak fell off early. The lime was medium in length.

Bottle, Bar, or Bust:  While composing this review, I've had two glasses of Tokaji. The wow factor is definitive. Distillers, take note: If you're interested in finishing a whiskey in something unusual and flavorful and not what everyone else is using, you may want to consider Tokaji wine casks. As for me, I'd buy this all day long - it takes a Bottle rating. Cheers!

My Simple, Easy to Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs that you do so responsibly.