What exactly is Hakata Whisky? I sent emails to a couple official folks last year, but never received a response, so it's time to source second-to-thirdhand answers from the internets. Please keep that in mind.
The spirit is distilled in Japan, specifically the Fukuoka region, by Hikari-Shuzo Co. Ltd, a shōchū producer. It's a single-distilled spirit made from barley, a portion of which is fermented with the wonderful Koji mold, the happy critter than helps make shōchū and sake. The remaining portion may be unmalted barley, which may or may not make up two-thirds of the mashbill. Despite what the official site says, today's whiskies were not distilled at Hikari Distillery, a facility that opened only 4 or 5 years ago.
So is Hakata aged shōchū? I don't know. In the past, Japan has resisted applying the "Whisky" label to aged spirits distilled like shōchū. But America has not hesitated to do so.
Hakata's standard range includes today's 10yo, 12yo, 16yo, and 18yo, all bottled at 42%abv and aged in sherry casks. By the looks of the liquid, those were some very wet casks.
The Fukuoka Four
| Hakata 10 year old 42%abv | Hakata 12 year old 42%abv | Hakata 16 year old 42%abv | Hakata 18 year old 42%abv |
|---|---|---|---|
| The nose is an utter sherry blast, fruitier than Oloroso, but drier than PX. There are some stewed berries in mulled wine, followed by honey, Andes candies, and paper pulp in up front. Hints of vanilla and mustiness stay behind. | This nose is mustier and earthier than the 10's. It's a mix of semi-sweet chocolate, nocino, simple brandy, shoe polish and molasses. WINNER | This is the grapiest nose of the four, with does of PX and balsamic vinegar. Brazil nuts and milk chocolate fill the middle, while mint and Luxardo syrup remain in the back. | Gunpowder and soy sauce make up most of the nose. Other notes include cornbread topped with blueberry jam, brine, and urea. This is one dirty bird. |
| The mellow, minty palate also dishes out Irish soda bread, almonds, black raisins, and a hint of dunnage. | Equal parts salt, sweet, and tannin fill the palate with notes like walnuts, raw almonds, raspberries, and old wood. | After the 12yo, this palate is less bitter and tannic than I expected. Jelly rings and nocino give it a mellow nutty/fruity sweetness. Lots of salted roasted almonds rest atop a quiet savory note. WINNER | The palate is savory in a lightly sulfuric but not unpleasant fashion. Very salty hard cheese meets balsamic vinegar, dried cherries, and a hint of urea. |
| The finish is sweeter than the palate, but also quite salty, with raw almonds and tannins in the background. | It finishes bitterer and earthier than the palate, while the raspberries turn tangy and tart. | Less tannic than the 10 and 12! Longer finish too, mostly of tart berries and toasty oak spices. WINNER | Luckily, the finish's sulfur character isn't the kind that turns the tongue furry. It's mostly gunpowder, aged hard cheese, and stones. |
| Comments: Much like its siblings, there's not a lot of whisky here, with the cask doing all the talking, quite loudly, in fact, for a 10 year old. Still, it's better than many low-ABV sherried scotches at its age. | Comments: Love that nose! Though it does setup expectations that the palate cannot match. The earth and raw nuts push it past the 10yo, despite the tannins. | Comments: This had the lightest color of the three. Judging by that, and the palate, I'm guessing there are some refill casks in the mix. It's the pour that I finished first, and I was left wanting more. It's the champ of the group. | Comments: Some online reviews opine that the koji mold delivers the whisky's savoriness. Not in my book, or my face. This is straight up sulfur. But it does not wreck the whisky. It just makes it dirtier than the other four. The 16yo's subtler touches and complexity win out. |
| Rating: 81 | Rating: 83 | Rating: 85 | Rating: 83 |
WORDS WORDS WORDS
It's easier for my brain and stomach to process four low-ABV whiskies than three high-ABV whiskies, so I was able to focus better with this quartet. I still can't tell you whether this is aged shōchū or not because the spirit was so extractive, pulling everything from its casks. It often reads like 42%abv sherry from heavily-charred casks. While there's certainly a market for that style in the whisky world (including Japan), that's not exactly my style. The 16 year old was the gentlest of the four, and also the closest to finding balance. I hope Hikari/Hakata tries its hand at more refill cask whisky because I'd love to try that some day.
