Blind tasting – Oddly herbal and sweet, this has plenty of Japanese influence and reminded me of some of the Hakushu expressions. 86/100
Hatozaki Pure Malt (40%, OB, 2020)
Hatozaki Pure Malt (40%, OB, 2020)
Packed full of malt and aromatic wood with gentle wisps of smoke, this is seriously delicious. 88/100
Hatozaki Blended (40%, OB, 2020)
I really rather enjoyed this one. At first it seems quite simple, light and delicate but therein lies its beauty. Immensely drinkable and reminds me of some great and now hard to find or afford Japanese single malts. 84/100
Hakushu 12 Years Old (43%, OB, 2018)
Hakushu 12 Years Old Whisky Review: Definitely the green/woody expression I remember but with perhaps a much more noticeable smoke element, minerality and sharper resolution of herbal notes – but perhaps this is just the benefit of a much more educated palate from me now. Since it is unobtainable price-wise perhaps I do appreciate this expression much more than when it was rather freely available. 84/100
Chita 4 Years Old 2009 G13.1 A Complete revelation (58.3%, SMWS, Virgin Oak Puncheon, 622 bottles, 2014)
G13.1 A Complete revelation Whisky Review: Fascinating for a 4 year old grain whisky. The virgin oak puncheon has had a fair share of the contribution to the flavour profile of this whisky. A superb introduction to Chita’s grain whisky potential thanks to the SMWS. 87/100
Kamiki Blended Malt Whisky (48%, OB, 2018)
Kamiki Blended Malt Whisky review: Oddly woody and spicy, it is hard to measure this against other whisky expressions as I have never tasted anything from Japanese cedar wood before. It certainly seems to bring a unique character to this blended malt that is unmistakably woody and Japanese in nature. 78/100
Kura the Whisky (40%, OB, 2018)
Kura the Whisky whisky review: A little abrasive at first, has layers of sweetness and spice, eventually balances out but still has some oddly sweet nature to it. 80/100
Eigashima 2011 The Kikou-Ki Series (58.4%, Dekanta, Port Ellen Cask #11055, 300 bottles, 2018)
Eigashima 2011 The Kikou Dekanta 3rd Anniversary whisky review: Delicious rich and nutty, so full of peanut brittle and hints of maritime notes, there are hints of iodine and a little ashen smoke towards the end but this really has that Port Ellen chamois leather mustiness quality that I suspect the producers were hoping for. A great mixture of young whisky and old cask. 90/100
Yamazakura 963 21 Years Old (58%, OB, 2018)
Yamazakura 963 21 Years Old whisky review: A delicious expression that has a great mixture of flavours, a classically balanced blend that displays its maturity and age very well. A pleasure to be even drinking Japanese whisky of this age these days! 90/100
Nikka Pure Malt Black (43%, OB, 2016)
Nikka Pure Malt Black Whisky Review Category: Blended Japanese Malt Whisky Origin: Nikka’s distilleries likely Yoichi and Miyagikyo Bottling: Nikka ABV: 43% Cost: £39.95 What they say: The “Black” is a Pure […]
