Tokinoka Blended Whisky (40%, OB, 2015)

• Category: Japanese blended whisky
• Origin: White Oak Distillery
• Bottling: Official – Eigashima Shuzo
• ABV: 40%
• Cost: £29.99 from Drink Supermarket
• Score: 84/100

What they say:

From the Akashi White Oak Distillery  this is a blend of different single malts carefully developed, whose main characteristics is: mellow, with a dominant yellow fruits and malted cereals (such as almond and grapes), for a long, spicy finish. Named Tokinoka meaning ‘Fragrance of time’.

What I say:

Another White Oak blend, this one appears to have been produced specifically for import into France and is quoted as an entry level blended malt.

Colour:

Dark amber gold with copper hints (12/20) slow medium-sized droplet tears leave fine legs

Nose:

Fruity, cereal barley and grains, cornflakes, honey, cereal barley malt, peach, plum, a little apple, banana and pineapple fritters in syrup, fragrant root ginger, musty oak wood and warehouses

Taste:

Syrupy in texture and buttery/oily, smooth plum liqueur, ginger and lemon sauce, vanilla cream, very zesty orange oil, honey, oak wood, a dash of fresh lime juice, apple, apricot, melon and slightly herbal sage

Finish:

Medium length, fruity and spicy ginger slightly acrid/bitter oak wood

Overall:

I found this blend complex and interesting with an unusual mixture of ginger and gooseberry. Drinkable alone but with all that fruit would easily lend itself to use in long drinks or cocktails.