Things I Really Drink: Hibiki Japanese Harmony

Speaking of Japan, Hibiki Japanese Harmony blended whisky graces my glass today. I had tried this before and found it uninspiring. Its fancier cousin (the Master's Select) left me feeling the same. So why on earth did I buy a full bottle of the stuff at Binny's last year? Well...

• I'm smitten by highballs during these Midwest summers.
• Fond remembrances of age-stated Hibiki.
• Friends encouraged me to give it another try.
• I adore the bottle shape, those lovely 24 facets.
• It was on sale for $79.99. Yeah, a real frickin' bargain. 😐

Since I've almost finished the bottle, I can start to drop spoilers. Am I sorry I bought the whisky? No. Am I going to buy it again? Not unless I find for clearance prices someday.

Hibiki Japanese Harmony blended whisky has a 🙂 side and a 🙁 side. Before I use any more emojis, I should just begin the review.

Ownership: Beam Suntory
Brand: Hibiki
Type: Blended whisky
Country: Japan
Distilleries: Yamazaki and Hakushu for malt, Chita for grain
Age: ???
Maturation: "The spirit ages in five types of casks, including rare Japanese oak Mizunara, as well as sherry and bourbon casks."
Alcohol by Volume: 43%

NEAT

There's a lot of moderately-aged grain whisky in the nose. It's bready and floral, with touches of toasted oak, lychee candy, banana, and vanilla. That toasted oak registers louder in the palate, with lots of baking spices to go with mild tannins. Wheat and flowers, oranges and maple. Gently sweet. It finishes sweeter with more oranges and straightforwards oak.

HIGHBALL

Dangerously refreshing. The sweetness remains mild, yet the citrus reads more varied and complex than when the whisky is sipped neatly, while the wheat shifts towards barley.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

The contents of this bottle of Hibiki Japanese Harmony have disappeared very quickly via spring and summer highballs. Yes, using an $80 whisky for highballs is obnoxious, but if one is to do so, the bubbly results had better be damned good. And they are. At the same time, I like Suntory Toki's highballs too, and that blend is one-third the price of Harmony here in Ohio. And I'm not going to say a word about Suntory's magical $15 blend in Japan. Circling back to Harmony, I wouldn't suggest drinking it neatly, it wasn't engineered for that purpose. The right balance of bubbles though...

Availability - Wide
Pricing - $70-$120 in the US, $90-$160 in Europe
Rating - 82 (highballs only, when neat it's 5-10 points lower)

Four age-stated Hakata whiskies

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.

Three five-year-old Komagatake single casks for La Maison du Whisky

I am just now seeing the Text label near Niigata.
LOL, I’m leaving it there.

A stomach virus kept me off the sauce for a week, but that's behind me now. 😅

During last year's vacation, I learned that La Maison du Whisky has cornered the Parisian whisky retail market. To avoid all FOMO, you should visit all three of LMDW's excellent brick-and-mortar shops in the city, as each store has a slightly different inventory.

Because France doesn't have the same wacky liquor laws as the US, La Maison also acts as an importer, especially of Japanese whiskies. Back in 2022, LMDW brought in three single first-fill ex-bourbon casks of Komagatake (Shinshu Distillery) single malt, each of which was matured at one of the three Mars locations: Shinshu (mountains), Tsunuki (coast), and Yakushima (tropical island). Today I'm going to try them side-by-side to see how, or if, the aging process is influenced by the warehouse locales.

Komagatake Kyōdai

Komagatake 5-year-old 2016 cask 3705, Shinshu-aged 61%abv	Komagatake 5-year-old 2016 cask 5183, Tsunuki-aged 60%abv	Komagatake 5-year-old 2016 cask 2063, Yakushima-aged 61%abv
The nose starts off with apples, malt, vanilla, and paint thinner, with caramel, white peaches, and white dessert wine arriving later. Once diluted to 50%abv, the whisky shifts toward mint, anise, sugar cookies, and cherry candy in the nose.	Ah, some real fruit in this nose! Mango juice, orange peel, and orange blossoms up front. Cinnamon, glue, and chlorophyl settle into the background. The nose gets leaner once the whisky is diluted to 50%abv. It's all barley, yeast, peat, burlap, cinnamon, and clove.	Another pretty nose, with sugar cookies, orange peels, rosewater and lemon candies appearing in the first 20-30 minutes. Vanilla bean, almond extract, and toasted oak emerge later on. At 50%abv, the whisky's nose offers up apricots, apples, confectioner's sugar, and a hint of brine.
The hot and sweet palate offers cherry-flavored children's medicine, honey and clementines in the foreground, barley and cocoa in the middle, ash in the distance. The palate is so very, very sweet at the 50%abv mark, mostly lemon candy, simple syrup, and milk chocolate.	Surprising peaty notes hit the palate first, followed by limes, tart apples, tart cherries, and bitter citrus pith. At 50%abv, there's less peat and sugar, but lots of tart and bitter citrus.	Mild smoke and bitterness moderate the palate's sweetness. Cloves, almond extract, and lemons stick around the longest. It's moderately sweet with salty smoke, lemon blossoms, and clementines at 50%abv.
The finish is VERY sweet, like dessert wine, lemon candy, simple syrup, and milk chocolate. At 50%abv, the finish is tangier and more acidic. A few marshmallows appear after the final sips.	No peat in the finish, so the sweetness runs wild, especially in notes of sweet apples and lemon candy. After the whisky is diluted to 50%abv, the sweetness calms down. Oranges, limes, and menthol linger a bit.	The finish is smoky and rosy, with a hint of cherry bubblegum. It gets saltier with time. A Yoichi-like delicate smoke mixes with sweet citrus in the diluted finish.
Comments: This cask reads the youngest out of the three, perhaps due to its warehouse's cooler temperatures. The whisky is a bit too sweet for my palate, but it's quite decent overall. This would have been a much more interesting whisky at 10-12 its age.	Comments: The peaty notes give this whisky more complexity than the Shinshu while occasionally toning down some of the sweetness. And, as always, I'm fan of all the fruit notes. Other than perhaps the citrus and sugar, very little ties this cask to the Shinshu one.	Comments: This Yakushima cask was the winner throughout the whole tasting, especially since its finish stuck the landing after every sip. Salt + light smoke + citrus = Yes. I hope they'll leave some of these Yakushima casks to snooze until they're 10 years old, because could be outstanding.
Rating: 80	Rating: 84	Rating: 86

WORDS WORDS WORDS

After being disappointed by a pair of disappointing Komagatake malts, I was happily reminded that Mars produces some very good whiskies. As noted above, I believe that all three of these casks would have benefited from more maturation time, but at least two of them are quite nice at 5 years. Considering the salt and peat levels on the second (better) two, can one really be sure all three casks held the same spirit? (I'm just seeing now, per Serge's notes, that these did not hold the same spirit. This trio makes less sense now.) A bit burned out by these baby Mars whiskies, I will switch to a different small whisky brand (not Chichibu, sorry) for this month's final Japanese booze reviews.

Mars Komagatake 4 year old 2015, cask 1940 for Total Wine

As I referenced the other day, Mars has released a couple hundred single casks from the Shinshu distillery under the the Komagatake brand name. A few of those casks even made it to American shores. Today's heater (62%abv) was a single bourbon cask sold exclusively through Total Wine & More, a retailer I've missed dearly since moving to Ohio.

This will be my sixth contemporary Komagatake single cask, all have been 3 to 4 years old, and the previous five scored between 78 and 84. My expectations are thusly not set that high for this 4-year-old. If it's good though, I'll pine for Total Wine even more.

Distillery: Mars Shinshu
Ownership: Hombo Shuzo Co. Ltd.
Brand: Komagatake
Region: Nagano Prefecture, Japan
Age: 4 years (May 2015 - September 2019)
Maturation: bourbon cask
Cask #: 1940
Outturn: 208 bottles
Exclusive to: Total Wine & More
Alcohol by Volume: 62%
(from a bottle split)

NEAT

The nose remains tight, even after 30 minutes of air. At first it's just malt, brine, and a lot of lavender soap. It slowly picks up notes of cinnamon schnapps and vanilla-bean-infused bourbon. The very bourbony palate is full of barrel char and vanilla, with jasmine rice and simple syrup in the middle, and lime juice in the back. Numbing heat cancels out the finish for the first two sips. Then it's a belt of vanilla simple syrup and lime juice.

It may need water...

DILUTED to ~50%abv, or 1½ tsp of water per 30mL whisky

Ah, more approachable. Green apple candy, Barbasol shaving cream, and lemony soap start the nose, with vanilla and flower blossoms appearing later. The palate stays simple: Mint, witbier, malt, and a bitter touch. It finishes minty and tangy.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

This was such a half-baked mess when neat that I wasn't even inspired to add water, but thankfully I did because that rescued it, slightly. Maybe it requires further dilution. Or maybe the cask's contents weren't yet fully baked. I'm leaning towards the latter. The active oak might make it appealing to bourbon drinkers. But even the Quercus alba can't hide an incomplete whisky. I'm thankful I didn't buy a bottle from TW&M. And I'm glad the next three Komagatake casks are older.

Availability - Probably sold out
Pricing - ???
Rating - 76 (once diluted)

Mars Komagatake 2022 Edition

The Hombo Shuzo Company made multiple attempts at establishing consistent whisky production. The family-run company earned their whisky license in 1949, but didn't build their first distillery until 1960, in Yamanashi. Kiichiro Iwai, one of the men who sent Masataka Taketsuru to Scotland to learn the whisky trade in 1918, oversaw production at the distillery until his death in 1966. The distillery closed in 1969 because its whisky did not sell well among its Japanese customers. Another distillery was built in Kagoshima a few years later, but that one closed soon after as well. The issue with the Kagoshima distillery was the same as that of the Yamanashi distillery, the Scottish-style proved too heavy for the Japanese consumers at the time. Lighter spirit was needed.

In 1984, Shinshu Distillery opened in the Japanese Alps. The source water was softer up there, while the temperature and altitude would result in slow maturation. Shinshu experienced limited success until 1992, when Japan's recession and decline in whisky sales forced the distillery to close. As whisky sales started to climb worldwide in 2011, the distillery reopened. The distillery hasn't closed since, but did install brand new stills in 2014. Hombo Shuzo opened a second distillery, Tsunuki, in Kagoshima again, so they could go back to producing a heavier spirit, now more appreciated worldwide.

Shinshu Distillery single malts, from both production eras, are released under the Komagatake brand. Over 200 different Komagatake whiskies have been released over the years. Malts distilled during the more recent era first appeared in 2014 with Shinshu's 3 year old whisky.

Since 2020, the distillery has released an annual 50%abv NAS small batch single malt. I had the chance to try a few of the editions while in Japan, but this is my first opportunity to try one while inside my hermetically sealed whisky laboratory. Did I say laboratory? I meant lavatory.

Distillery: Mars Shinshu
Ownership: Hombo Shuzo Co. Ltd.
Brand: Komagatake
Region: Nagano Prefecture, Japan
Age: at least 3 years old
Maturation: allegedly bourbon, sherry, and port casks

Bottling year: 2022
Outturn: ???
Alcohol by Volume: 50%
(from a bottle split)

NEAT

The yeasty, malty nose dishes out bananas, lager, apricots, cinnamon, lumber, and circus peanuts. The rawness of the palate surprises, even though, as a 3yo palate it shouldn't. It's floral and sweet, with lots of marshmallows. Honey on Irish soda bread. Maybe a hint of smoke. It finishes even sweeter, like agave nectar and vanilla.

DILUTED to ~46%abv, or ½ tsp of water per 30mL whisky

The nose shows more vanilla and lager, but also offers hints of tobacco, mango peel, and oloroso. Lots of tangy new make leads the palate, with lime and vanilla in the midground, sweat and tannins in the background. The finish lasts longer with a mix of lemons and tannins.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Slightly disappointing, this whisky fell short of my previous Komagatake experiences, and the Whiskybase community's feelings about this whisky. It's not terrible stuff, just very sweet, very limited baby malt. Many of us (including this reviewer) want to love Komagatake, but it's difficult to get a legitimate read on how a ~3yo whisky fits into a distillery's bigger picture. With that in mind, four single casks will follow!

Availability - At a few dozen retailers in the US and Europe
Pricing - $110 to $180
Rating - 78

Mars Iwai Tradition Blended Whisky (white label)

I won't be traveling to Japan this year, so I'll pelt you with some more Japanese whisky reviews instead! It's what Saint Padraig would have wanted.

In addition to bottling single malts from their Shinshu and Tsunuki distilleries, the Mars folks also fashion a bunch of blends, with the Iwai range being the most popular. There's the Iwai 45, with a higher ABV, yet grain whisky driven, and there's the standard Iwai Tradition. The Tradition has more malt than the 45, but also has the minimal ABV, 40%. I'm not sure I understand the logic behind that, but so it goes.

Some actual tinkering goes on in the Tradition. The blenders mix bourbon, sherry, and red wine casks, while also applying a little bit of peated malt. Were all the ingredients distilled at the Hombo Shuzo facilities? Heck, were all the ingredients distilled in Japan? I'm going to guess "No" to both now that the label no longer reads "Blended Japanese Whisky", but rather Mars Whisky.

More importantly, does it taste good? Tonight I'm matching it up with the less-than-inspiring, and more expensive, Ichiro's Malt & Grain, Classical Edition.

Ownership: Hombo Shuzo Co. Ltd.

Brand: Mars

Type: Blended Whisky
Region: Japan and ???

Age: ???

Maturation: bourbon, sherry, and red wine casks

Alcohol by Volume: 40%

Chillfitered? maybe

e150? probably, with its Diageo-esque orange hue
(from a bottle split)

HIGHBALLS

I'm getting nothing but very sweet grain, vanilla, and some tanginess in the background. The Ichiro's highball is creamier and toastier.

NEAT

Though the nose does lead with a layer of charred America oak, there are more interesting notes of peach candy, barley grist, plaster, corn flakes, and coal in the mid- and background. The simple, pleasant palate offers oranges, roses, and vanilla custard up front, and dates(!) in the back. Peach skins, bitter citrus pith, and roses finish it up.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

I like this much more than expected, especially since its finish sticks the landing. It's the rare blend that works best when served neatly. With its US prices as low as $25 — no, there are no missing zeros — Iwai Tradition trounces all the major entry-level scotch blends. I might even purchase a bottle regret-free if/when I'm in the right location. Perhaps I should review a few more Mars whiskies.....

Availability - At your favorite specialty liquor retailer
Pricing - $25-$60 in the USA
Rating - 81

Yoichi Aromatic Yeast

Look at me reviewing two NAS blends in a row! I will correct that today with a single malt......that is also NAS? Yay? But it's Yoichi. Yay. And the producers have tinkered with its yeast. Yay!

I still think yeast is the next (and final?) frontier for distillers. The world's preferred drug is farted out by those precious little critters — the yeast, not the distillers, probably — so why not find out what different strains will do under different conditions?! 95+% of whisky products use the most productive yeast strains, not for the sake of the product itself, but for financial purposes. Their goal is to squeeze out as many alcoholic yeast toots per barley microgram as possible, not to introduce more fruity esters to their spirit.

Yeast experiments are scarce among whiskymakers, while cask experiments (the pig's lipstick) are legion. So, when Nikka dug into their library of 700 different yeast strains to produce two unique versions of their Yoichi and Miyagikyo single malts as part of their Discovery Series, I was very interested in the results.

Unfortunately, these NAS Nikka Discovery Series bottlings carry significant prices. The Yoichi and Miyagikyo Aromatic Yeast expressions are $250-$300 each. As a result, bottles are still available throughout Europe and the US, three years after their release.

Luckily, the Doctors Springbank scored me a 2oz sample of the Yoichi edition. For perspective, I'm lining it up against the current standard Yoichi NAS.

Distillery: Yoichi
Ownership: Nikka
Range: Discovery Series
Region: Hokkaidō, Japan
Age: ????
Maturation: ???
Outturn: 4,800 bottles
Release year: 2022
Alcohol by Volume: 48%
(sample courtesy of the Doctors Springbank)

NOTES

Fruit indeed in the nose; mostly dried apricot, dried peaches, oranges peels, grapefruit, and apple peels. Notes of nutritional yeast, brine, band-aids, and mocha blend well with those fruits.

The palate reads so unpeated that it feels like a Speyside. Limes, fresh apricots, and almond extract arrive first. Baked apples and Cara Cara oranges next. It picks up a nice spicy zing after a while. And then, of all things, cheesecake!

It finishes with a touch of sweetness to go with a zesty tartness. Picture a mix of Cara Cara oranges, limes, and baked apples.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Had you told me this was a 15-20yo Glenburgie, I would've believed you. In fact, with its phenolic touches, it may be a little more complex than some of the indie 'Burgie single casks. The lack of public enthusiasm for this whisky may prove detrimental to future "Aromatic Yeast" editions, but all those bottles likely remain on the shelves because of the price and the lack of age statement. I will hold out naïve hope that this experiment isn't a one-time thing.

Availability - Still quite available as of the date of this review
Pricing - $250ish in the US, $200-$350 in Europe
Rating - 88

Nikka Tsuru Blended, White Ceramic Decanter

pic source

Monday offered Ichiro's Mystery Meat, today it's Nikka's Mystery Meat. I'm not sure when the Tsuru blended whisky releases began, and there's conflicting information about when they ended, but they seemed to be a sibling of the Taketsuru blended malts (the Japanese word "taketsuru" means "bamboo crane", while "tsuru" means "crane").

Tsuru's short-lived range included:

• 17-year-old in a glass bottle
• 17-year-old in a white ceramic decanter
• NAS in two different glass bottles
• NAS in a white ceramic decanter

I tried the "17-year-old in a glass bottle" two years ago, finding it to be pretty close to grain whisky, and wishing there'd been more Yoichi malt in the mix. Today I'll review the "NAS in a white ceramic decanter" expression, with Monday's NAS blend serving as its sparring partner (or pace car?).

Ownership: Nikka

Range: Tsuru

Type: Blended Whisky

Region: Japan (and others?)

Distilleries: Miyagikyo, Yoichi, and Nishinomiya (and others?)

Age: ???

Maturation: ???

Alcohol by Volume: 43%

(from a bottle split)

NOTES

The gentle nose leads with a mix of green apple skins, cucumber skins, and rosewater, with quiet notes of ocean and fabric in the background. A brown sugar note appears ~20 minutes in, and pushes toward the front.

A soft citrus note slowly expands across the palate, well balanced between tart and sweet. It's also slightly dusty and floral, with hints of apple cider. There's no vanilla or caramel, though it's also not raw. Not a whole lot going on, but it's very pleasant.

It finishes with tart and sweet apples, burlap, and sprinkle of salt.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

I did not apply this whisky to a highball because it was so fragile. It's inoffensive, better blended than Ichiro's Malt & Grain Classical Edition, and its balance exceeds that of the 17yo-glass-bottle Tsuru. But there's also not much There there, whether that's due to oxidation within the decanter or the blend itself. However, I'd be happy to drink this any day.

Availability - Secondary market
Pricing - ???
Rating - 81

Things I Really Drink: Ichiro's Malt & Grain, Classical Edition

During my Japan 2023 trip, I discovered that the standard Ichiro's Malt & Grain Blended World Whisky works very well in a highball. But similar to Yoichi NAS single malt, Ichiro's Malt & Grain sells for a wild premium in the US. Back then the American price was 3x that of Japan's; as per Wine-searcher's averages that multiplier has become 3.7x ($100+) today.

For reasons that escape me, I did choose to go halfsies on a bottle of Ichiro's Malt & Grain Blended World Whisky Classical Edition. I've been unable to find any details about how the "Classical Edition" differs from the standard one, other than a higher ABV (48% versus 46.5%) and higher price. It's very tempting to call this Ichiro's Mystery Meat.

Ownership: Venture Whisky Ltd.

Brand: Ichiro's Malt & Grain

Type: Blended Whisky

Region: Japan, Ireland, Scotland, Canada, and USA?

Age: ???

Maturation: ???

Alcohol by Volume: 48%

Chillfitered? No

e150? No

HIGHBALLS

After trying six different highballs, I think I've found the right formula. 3:1 and 4:1 (bubbles to whisky) come out much too watery and bland, especially with small ice cubes. (Side note: I've never had that issue with any Hibiki products.) The key is to apply 2 parts club soda (or the best mineral water you can find) to 1 part Classical Edition over one large ice cube. The flavor stays strong and moderately sweet with hints of wine casks.

NEAT

The nose begins with a mix of vanilla, butter, sugar, and cinnamon, almost like a cookie dough. That's followed by banana candy, split lumber, and a hint of ocean. After a while it takes on a note that I can only define as an emptied pinot noir glass at the end of the night now being filled with warm Dr. Pepper. And I don't hate it.

Though black cherry and strawberry candies lead the palate, it's never too sweet. It also reads much lighter than 48%abv. The midground holds a jumble of sour red grapes, woody bitterness, cassia bark, and Robitussin.

It finishes with black cherry syrup, vanilla, black peppercorns, ginger candy, and a bit of acidity.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Though Akuta-san has a history of making terrific whisky, this "World Blend" smells and tastes like a mad mix of random bottles from one's shelf. There's no cohesion, especially since it seems like there were various casks types, in addition to the blend of malt and grain whiskies from (possibly) five different countries. How does one even attempt to marry all those elements together?

As noted earlier, one can devise a quality highball ratio/formula from the Classical Edition, but the same can be said for Johnnie Walker Black Label and Chivas 12yo. So I'm not sure what makes this whisky "classical", nor why its price is so high. It's not a bad whisky, but I'm getting tired of it and I'm only a little more than halfway done with my half bottle. Maybe I'll just stick to Venture's Chichibus from now on.

Availability - Scattered around the world
Pricing - All over the map (LOL), $100-$350 outside of Japan, $50-$80 in 🇯🇵
Rating - 79

Yoichi NAS (2022, Japan) versus Yoichi 10 year old (2023, USA)

It's a Taste Off between two Things I Really Drink! Of course I never took pictures of my actual bottles and I'm down to the 2oz samples I saved, so I'll need to use some other visuals.

I purchased my bottle of Yoichi NAS during my March-April Japan 2023 trip, for grand total of $27. The same whisky costs, on average, $97 in the US. Yes, this is why some of us return from Japan with a new piece of luggage filled with bottles wrapped in dirty laundry.

In lieu of a bottle pic, here's an Itsukushima ice cream shop sign, located in the touristy part of the island:

Theoretically those are raisins, but I'd already stuffed myself silly with fresh baked momiji manju, so I didn't stick around to find out.

I opened the Yoichi NAS bottle at the end of 2023, just in time for the next whisky.

After eight long years of waiting, the Yoichi 10 year old returned in 2023! And it was expensive. As soon as some 750mLs were exported to The States, the Doctors Springbank scooped up two bottles. I went in halfsies on one of the bottles.

Just after New Year's 2024, we sat down and tried the NAS and 10yo side-by-side. I took no notes, but I remember that the 10 required a lot of air to open up. Now, 14 months later, I'm sitting down in my whisky chair to compare them again, but with notes this time.

THE YOICHI YOUTHS

Yoichi NAS (2022, Japan) 45%abv	Yoichi 10 year old (2023, USA) 45%abv
Very young lightly peated spirit greets the nose. Pears, apples, orange peels, and talcum powder up front. Wood smoke and seaweed in the back.	Peated steak chili. Yes, that's the first nose note. Think beef and chili powder. A hint of seaweed too. Plums and almond extract appear around the 30-minute mark. At 45 minutes? Yeast and sweat.
The peat rumbles louder in the palate, joining apples, pears, mint, and a peppery heat. Its sweetness starts off mildly, but expands with time, becoming very sugary by the 45-minute mark.	Soft, familiar Yoichi peat balances well with tart stone fruits and citrus in the palate. The sweetness remains subtle throughout. Notes of almonds, almond extract, and tobacco highlight the background.
It finishes tangy and peppery with more heat and less peat than expected. The sweetness is never shy here.	It finishes with nectarines, cigarettes, seaweed, and simple syrup.
Comments: This NAS expression reads sweeter and younger than the old version, which needed water to reveal its sugars. Luckily, baby Yoichi spirit is quite good. Yet, from the top of the bottle to the bottom, this single malt showed very little complexity. It did work decently in a highball, though.	Comments: This was the older sibling, indeed. It was much more interesting, and less clean, than the NAS. Nikka's whiskies tend to be mild mannered, but this one showed hints of crazy. Which I like, a lot. I wouldn't be shocked if some sherry casks were included, and possibly a mix of peated and non-peated spirits.
Rating: 82	Rating: 87

WORDS WORDS WORDS

The NAS cost less than $0.04/mL. The 10yo, $0.21/mL. Though the 10 is the superior whisky, the premium one pays doesn't seem reasonable. That opinion doesn't seem to be shared by many. Because the new 10's first release sold out nearly instantly in Japan and the US, I don't foresee a price drop for subsequent batches. If price isn't an obstacle for you, then go for it! And share it. It's very good stuff. Meanwhile, if you're in The States, Nikka's From the Barrel blend offers more flavor and flexibility than Yoichi NAS single malt, and at a lower price.

Things I Really Drink: Yamazaki Peated Malt Spanish Oak (2024)

Last year Suntory released a pair of single malts within their Kogei Collection range: Yamazaki Peated Malt Spanish Oak and Hakushu Peated Malt Spanish Oak. "Kogei" is Japanese for "traditional artisan crafts", and this whisky duo was called the Japanese Kimono Edition. The Kimono part refers to the packaging, as the bottles and labels have graceful swooping designs fashioned by Kyoto's Chiso Kimono House. The whisky though, is still whisky.

The Yamazaki and Hakushu distilleries produce several malt spirit styles for Suntory's blends (e.g. Hibiki and Kakubin). So, though Yamazaki's single malt is unpeated, the distillery does make peated spirit, and vice versa at Hakushu. So these Kogei Collection releases are a fun switcheroo.

Somehow Doctors Springbank and I found Yamazaki Peated Malt Spanish Oak selling for a fraction of its current going price. We probably could have purchased more than one bottle, but my experience with other Suntory NASes isn't fabulous. So we went halfsies. That I'm nearly done with my 350mL may offer a hint as to my opinion about this whisky.

Distillery: Yamazaki
Ownership: Beam Suntory
Region: Oyamazaki, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
Range: The Kogei Collection
Age: ???

Maturation: Spanish oak sherry casks
Release year: 2024

Alcohol by Volume: 43%
Chillfiltered? No
e150a? No

NOTES

The (lovely) casks offer an excellent balance of dried fruit and raw nuts in the nose. Perhaps Oloroso + PX? The peat reads coastal, not Islay-style, nor Skye-ish, but something softer. Tar, sesame seeds, Play Doh, cherry candy, and amaretto merge in the mid- and background. After 30+ minutes, fig notes open in the foreground, while anise arrives in the back.

I believe the Scots would refer to this as hella moreish. The oily-textured palate brings an impressive bounty of fresh fruits, as opposed to dried ones, with loads of blood oranges and Rainier cherries up front. Delicate peat meets Meyer lemons, chile oil mixes with sandalwood.

This is one of the longest finishes I've experienced in a contemporary 43%abv whisky. Dried cranberries, sweeter lemons, Thai chiles, and wood smoke linger and linger and linger.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

I did the unthinkable by pouring some Yamazaki 12 because this Peated/Sherried thing was way too good. They were tried, side-by-side, and the Peated Malt Spanish Oak won.

The sherry cask management at Yamazaki continues to be remarkable. Could it be the climate? Or seasoning sherry? Or focused quality control? Or all the above? I don't know, but Yamazaki Peated Malt Spanish Oak is so much better than I expected it to be, and almost better than it needed to be, with its SRP below $200 at the start.

I know I just gave another TIRD a 90-point score, and while this Yamazaki doesn't have that Tamdhu's complexity, the drinkability, stellar craft, and sheer joy it brings pushes this NAS to that level. It's been such a long time since I've had a TIRD that was so much fun to drink.

Availability - Secondary market, and primary market at secondary prices
Pricing - Terrifying
Rating - 90

Moving out, and also another review of Yoichi Key Malts

The movers arrive tomorrow.

I've been packing and moving boxes by car every day, since before the Paris trip, and it feels like I've barely made a dent. And I don't even have much stuff. Plumbing and electrical mishaps still need to be addressed at the house. But I think I've gotten the smell of dog piss out of the building, and I've stayed fit by deadlifting whisky cases and attempting to paint rooms. No matter where I am with all this, those two dudes and a truck will appear on Saturday afternoon. Goodbye sad bachelor pad, hello overwhelmed bachelor house!

Since I did not visit Japan this year, I decided the reviews for my apartment send-off would be some Yoichis. There was a whole week of posts planned but that was some silly optimism. Instead, most of my drinking has consisted of me staring into space, sipping Chablis at some point after 10pm.

This trio of Yoichi's Key Malts was picked up by the Doctors Springbank last year (thank you!), so their bottlings are more recent than the ones reviewed in 2022.

One final note. This tasting was conducted in the apartment's master bathroom while tornado sirens blared for almost an hour. Mathilda sat on a zafu cushion reading a novel while her father sat in his desk chair smelling tempered poison. 

Newer Sapporo Triplets

Yoichi Woody and Vanillic - 55%abv	Yoichi Sherry and Sweet - 55%abv	Yoichi Peaty and Salty - 55%abv
Less generically woody than expected, the nose offers some fun spices like clove and cardamom layered on top of peaches and grapefruit. The vanilla and peat remain calm.	Dried cherries, walnuts, and something beefy arrive first in the nose, followed by caramel, blossoms, and hints of raspberry jam and black raisins.	Yes. The nose. Seaweed, antiseptic, and rubber gaskets galore. A whiff of farm, soft grassiness, and a drop of Sambuca fill in the gaps.
The palate dishes out some tannins at the start, as well as some bold peat. It's so sweet and floral that it's almost like peaty new make. Not bad though. There's a nice leafiness in the background.	Cherry jam and coal smoke on the palate. Bits of earth, mint, and fig make cameos. A sharp tannic bite threatens in the distance.	The palate is simple, but on target with a gentle sweetness, sooty peat, a generous dose of sea salt. The soot intensifies with time, while an herbal bitterness rises from the background.
It's very sweet on the finish, with a grassiness in the middle, and vanilla in the back.	It finishes with cherry jam, serrano chiles, menthol, and raspberry candy.	It finishes with kiln, menthol, and a little bit of bitterness.
Final thoughts: Better than the previous Woody & Vanillic, which I called "the worst Yoichi I've ever tried", this whisky isn't completely wrecked by vanilla, in fact the nose is quite lovely.	Final thoughts: Again, this one is better than the version I tried two years ago. Some bland sherry and oak notes keep this one from soaring, but I do love the cherry jam and coal smoke combo.	Final thoughts: Picture baby Ardbeg, but with less violence, more control. It may not offer much complexity, but it does what it says on the tin, and reliably hits the spot. A great winter pour.
Rating: 82	Rating: 84	Rating: 87

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Until after I finished the tasting and checked my old notes, I'd forgotten how disappointed I was with the Key Malts set I'd reviewed two years ago. This set was more consistent, more on-brand Yoichi, if that makes sense. If you nabbed this set from the distillery recently, enjoy, and bask in the warmth of my jealousy.

Next week, the scotch returns...

Miyagikyo Grande, Japanese single malt

Sorry, I can't help but pronounce "Grande" like Nachos BellGrande. Was this Nikka's intent? Most of the whisky world (and internet) would see "grande" and assume this single malt comes in a Balthazar. But then they'd be deeply disappointed about the comparatively wee 700mL bottle. So, um, Earth to Nikka, estarás decepcionado.

So what is this grand(?) Miyagikyo? Compared to the standard NAS release, Grande has more sherry casks in the mix and 3 more points of ABV. And it is/was only available via Travel Retail stores. It's still not as dark as Wednesday's Suntory Chita disappointment, so the e150a level is likely minimal.

Despite the above snark, I am curious to find out if this is indeed grand or grande.

Distillery: Miyagikyo

Ownership: Nikka

Type: Single malt

Region: Japan

Age: ???

Maturation: a mix of sherry and bourbon casks with an emphasis on the former

Alcohol by Volume: 48%

Chillfitered? No

e150? Not much if any

(thanks again, Doctors Springbank!)

NOTES

The nose pleasantly mixes almond extract, toffee, toasted pecans, and orange peels. Hints of flowers and peaches brighten the background, and there are no generic raisin/prune notes. The palate comes in malty, salty, and sweet, with more almond than vanilla action. A bit of Meyer lemon zips through the middle, and a light woodiness stays in the background. Its short finish offers tarter citrus, more vanilla, and louder oak spice.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Though neither grand nor grande this Nikka malt, like yesterday's Session, would be a good everyday pour, if you in fact enjoy everyday pours and don't have the widespread Whisky Attention Deficit Disorder. Compared to Session, Miyagikyo Grande is fuller, rounder, and bolder, which is likely due to the higher ABV and single distillery focus. Grande's finish proves to be its weak point with its brevity and louder oak.

I don't have the standard Miyagikyo NAS in front of me, so I cannot state with certainty if Grande is better, but the quality is pretty similar. So if you're in Japan, and are looking at the standard release (¥4500) and Grande (¥10000), you may not get much more for the latter's premium.

Availability - Japan, mostly Travel Retail
Pricing - it was ¥10000 not too long ago
Rating - 83

Nikka Session, a world blended malt

Nikka's blends and vattings have held more than just Japanese ingredients for a long time, at least since their parent company, Asahi, purchased the Ben Nevis distillery in 1989. It wasn't until 2020 that they finally outed one of their creations as "world" whisky, just like their main competitor, Suntory, did the previous year.

Nikka Session mixes Yoichi, Miyagikyo, and Ben Nevis malts, and three fine malts those are. The label has a bit of a Vegas gentleman's club feel to it, which is......a thing. The whisky has been chillfiltered and reduced to 43%abv. It's probably been colored too but much less so than yesterday's grain. Was Nikka trying to create a "session" whisky like a session beer, something that can be casually consumed in quantity over an evening (or morning)? And isn't that what most major blends aim to do? Or maybe it's referring to a music session, or a therapy session. Or all of the above?

Sláinte + Kanpai = Sláin-pai

Ownership: Nikka

Type: Blended malt

Regions: Japan and Scotland

Distilleries: Miyagikyo, Yoichi, and Ben Nevis

Age: ???

Maturation: ???

Alcohol by Volume: 43%

(thank you, Doctors Springbank!)

NOTES

Lemon blossoms, fennel seeds, and ginger snap cookies lead the nose, followed by bread and kiwi juice. Its vanilla note grows with time. The palate starts off light and floral, with a pretty note of passionfruit candy. Mild bitter, sea salt, and chile oil notes help mellow the sweetness for a while, but can't keep the sugar down forever, especially once the toasted oak spices arrive. It concludes with white peaches, brown sugar, and a slight sourness.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Indeed, Nikka Session is an easy drinker. One could overpour this onto a big ice cube and drink it mindlessly. So the whisky probably achieved its purpose; as in, it could get someone terrifyingly drunk via fewer calories than session beers. I don't think I could have picked out the Yoichi or Ben Nevis, rather it seems like a young, diluted, slightly oaky Miyagikyo. Not bad, not great, and if it's still going for its SRP in Japan then the price is right.

Availability - Mostly Japan, and a few dozen retailers in Europe and USA
Pricing - it was in the $30s in Japan, but now $100-$200 in The West
Rating - 80

Chita Japanese Grain Whisky, Aichi Edition

You may think I ended my last grain whisky review saying that I'd never review grain whisky again, but the fine print in the penultimate review specified single grain scotch whisky. So what do I have here? A single grain Japanese whisky. Without an age statement.

Yep.

Internet whisperers say this whisky is in fact 12 years old and aged in red wine casks, but if Suntory doesn't put it on the label I'm going to ignore the rumors unless my palate tells me to do otherwise. Keep in mind, this is NOT the standard NAS "The Chita" that entered the market in 2016, instead this version was bottled in 2014 specifically for the Aichi Prefecture, where Chita (the city and distillery) is located.

Distillery: Chita

Ownership: Beam Suntory

Type: Single grain whisky

Country: Japan

Age: ???

Maturation: ???

Bottled: 2014

Exclusive to: Aichi Prefecture

Alcohol by Volume: 43%

(from a bottle split)

NOTES

As I'd feared, the nose is mostly Malibu Coconut Rum and imitation vanilla extract. The rubber bands, burnt wheat, and veg note in the midground doesn't save it. It kinda rolls over into a cream soda character after 30 minutes.

The palate is oddly hot, but not-so-oddly packed with sugar and vanilla. Peppercorn-coated cardboard moves between the mid- and background across each sip.

It finishes with cream soda and cardboard.

Things worsen once the grain is poured over a big ice cube. Picture: vanilla frosting smeared unevenly over a cardboard box.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

I'm aware that my take on Nikka Coffey Grain ("one step away from being a total embarrassment" and would lose to Evan Williams Black Label in a blind taste test) is unpopular, but this limited edition Chita is worse than Nikka's grain. You know it's a sad pour when you're hoping the artificial vanilla note will return. And I don't really mind the cream soda aspect, in fact that might be its best part. But LOL the wine cask rumor. LOL my cat harrrfing up a hairball right now. LOL grain whisky.

Availability - Sold out, mercifully
Pricing - ???
Rating - 64

Chichibu 2017 W for Seibu Department Store

I usually commit two weeks of old spirit reviews in honor of my own age ticking up one more year, but 2023 will be different. This second week is all about stuff I like; two brands I adore and one secret beloved pour. Sorry for the rhyme, kinda.

Today: Chichibu, my favorite Japanese distillery. Yes, my favorite. Once Yamazaki and Yoichi start offering up obtainable and delicious (and preferably age-stated) whisky again, then a Taste Off will be in order. As noted in previous reviews, my palate says Chichibu is the only new distillery, anywhere in the world, whose output matches or surpasses its hype. Sadly, their primary and secondary market prices are very very very very very steep. But if you go to Japan, you may find a good number of whisky bars with Chichibu surprises awaiting your glass.

I just checked, and today's 'Bu is my last sample. 😿  For now. 😼  It's also a pour about which I know nearly nothing.

Seibu, Ikebukuro.
Their restaurants and food merchants look awesome. I must go there next time.
(pic source)

Each year, from 2015 to 2020, the Seibu department store(s) sold a pair of exclusive cask strength Chichibu bottlings, an "S" whisky and a "W" whisky. I can tell you that the bottles' listed year, like "2017", refers to the bottling year, not the distillation year. But I'm not sure what the "S" and "W" refer to. The Ikebukuro store carries the "W" appellation on some Japanese sites, so is there an "S" store too? Can anyone help a brother out here?

Anyway, today's baby bomber has that "W" on the label. Will that "W" = "Winner"?

Distillery: Chichibu #1

Location: Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture, Japan
Ownership: Venture Whisky
Range: Ichiro's Malt

Bottled: 2017
Age: ???

Maturation: ???
Outturn: ???
Exclusive to: Seibu
Alcohol by Volume: 61%

(from a bottle split)

NEAT

Key lime pie, ground cloves, and yuzu gelatin fill the nose's foreground. A carrot-ginger-orange juice sits in the middle. Background hints of brine and paprika offer a fun twist. Unsurprisingly the alcohol content bites back in the palate. Once the tongue recovers, one may find lots and lots of malt, followed by mint leaves and baked apples. Ultra-tart citrus and a touch of mango arrive in later sips. The key lime pie returns for the finish, as does as the mango and barley.

DILUTED to ~50%abv, or 1¼ tsp of water per 30mL whisky

It's a different whisky now. The nose has different fruits (honeydew and lemons), a hint of dessert (hazelnuts and vanilla), and a bit more edge, with bold ocean and concrete notes. The mildly sweet palate is full of creamy barley things, with a squeeze of orange in the background. The finish matches the palate, while also bringing in a hint of yeast.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

In my limited Chichibu experience (~15 bottlings), I've found their each of their whiskies fitting into one of three categories: 1.) Reads older than its age; 2.) Unreasonably beautiful youth; 3.) Close to new make. Today's 'Bu plops into the 3rd group. The nose wins (of course), but I always enjoy barley-forward palates. At the same time, the palate feels limited compared to the distillery's other offerings, and it even lost some complexity when diluted. While the whisky plays in a different league than the vast majority of the world whisky market's other ultra-young bottles, it's not the distillery at its best. I'd still drink it any day, though!

Availability - Secondary market?
Pricing - I ain't looking
Rating - 84

Taste Off: Chichibu x Komagatake Malt Duo twice!

The Chichibu and Mars Shinshu distilleries did a fun thing, and I hope others will follow suit. Together they made a double malt (Chichibu + Komagatake), half was aged at Shinshu, half was aged at Chichibu, using the same mix of casks for the same amount of time. Two whiskies resulted.

I didn't even know this had happened until the opportunity arose for a double bottle split. Here are the stats:

Distilleries: Chichibu #1 and Mars Shinshu

Locations: Saitama Prefecture and Nagano Prefecture (right next to each other)
Owners: Venture Whisky and Hombo Shuzo Co. Ltd.
Age: allegedly around 5 years (2015 - 2021)
Maturation: bourbon, new US oak, and sherry casks
Outturn: 10000+ bottles and 10000+ bottles

(from a bottle split)

A Double Duo

Chichibu x Komagatake aged at Chichibu 53.5%abv	Komagatake x Chichibu aged at Mars Shinshu 54.0%abv
A fruity fruit nose! Kiwis, yuzus, orange blossoms, and plantains up top. Pineapple and cardamom pods underneath.	It has a very malty nose. Lots of Irish soda bread and malt crackers. Some saline and menthol, hints of taffy and florals. Feisty!
The tart and tangy palate starts with limes + apples (tart), and pineapple + chiles (tangy). It gets sweeter with time, but is less sweet than its sibling.	This one is a sweetie, with orange candy, barley, and "lemony heat" on the palate. Savory, salty, and yeasty hints arrive later.
It finishes tartly. Tart oranges and lemons. A bit of rosy florals.	Barley, clementines, and yeast make up most of the finish, with truffle salt and lychee in the back.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

I would never have guessed that these two whiskies had the same ingredients. The Chichibu-aged carries plenty of that distillery's fruity style, while the Shinshu-aged double has a more direct barley hit. Shinshu's edition reads younger, but it's not harsh. Chichibu's edition may have revealed one of their secrets......a magic warehouse stuffed to the walls with fruit peels? With sherry and new oak casks that barely make a peep, these are both very good whiskies, so good that elected not to add water.

Dear Whisky World, more of this please! Clynelish x Ben Nevis, anyone?

RATINGS:
Chichibu x Komagatake (Ichiro's Malt Double Distilleries) - 88

Komagatake x Chichibu (Mars Whisky Malt Duo) - 86

Nikka Tsuru 17 year old blended whisky

I don't know much about today's whisky, but I could not pass up a chance to try a 17 year old Nikka thingamabob. "Tsuru" comes from the surname of Japanese whisky pioneer and Nikka founder, Masataka Taketsuru. Taketsuru = bamboo crane. Tsuru = crane. Cranes decorated the bottom half of the white phallic ceramic decanter when Nikka chose that format. The same birds adorned the stopper of Tsuru's glass bottle editions. The Tsuru line also had a cheaper NAS version for some time.

Some sites say the Tsurus were retired in 2016-2017, while other folks say they tried the whisky at Yoichi distillery not too long ago. Either way, I'm pretty sure the Tsurus were blended whiskies, acting almost like little siblings to the Taketsuru blended malt range.

Ownership: Nikka
Range: Tsuru
Type: Blended Whisky
Region: Japan (and others?)
Distilleries: Miyagikyo, Yoichi, and Nishinomiya (and others?)

Age: at least 17 years

Maturation: ???

Alcohol by Volume: 43%

(from a bottle split)

NOTES

The nose is a bit vague and blurry at first. Some nondescript fruits and florals, with peanuts and almonds, gentle toasted oak. But, the citrus fruit notes sharpen with time, baking spices appear, and at times it smells like a bag of mixed Kasugai gummies.

The Nishinomiya grain seems to control the palate. It's very sweet, with some oranges and cream(-ish) sherry. Sometimes ashy, other times cardboardy, but frequently bitter, it doesn't work well as a sipper.

The palate's sweetness dominates the finish. Black pepper, tannins, and tangy citrus stay far behind.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

I probably should have put this in an (expensive) mizuwari, because that must have been its purpose. One can't help but compare it to Chivas 18yo, thinking of all the great malt content buried within the blend. It smells nice, but even 17 year old grain whisky smells nice, and a higher ABV may not have solved the palate. A standard 17yo Nikka blend sounds like a very good idea in the current marketplace (or always), so perhaps this could be resurrected with a little more Yoichi in the recipe, perhaps?

Availability - Secondary market
Pricing - ???
Rating - 77

Chichibu 2021 US Edition

I end this Chichibu week with a whisky I've eyed many times, and would have purchased blindly had it been $100 cheaper. Unlike the 2020 US Edition, the 2021 is not peated. And it has a bit more oak in the recipe. This time there are three new oak barrels, three new oak hoggies, and four first-fill barrels. Looks like Ichiro Akuto's crew is showing the US some love via the use of shiny, unsullied American oak. Will the spirit survive???

Distillery: Chichibu #1

Location: Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture, Japan
Ownership: Venture Whisky
Range: US Editions
Age: ???
Maturation: 10 casks, see above
Outturn: 2150 bottles
Exclusive to: USA
Alcohol by Volume: 53.5%

(from a bottle split)

NEAT

A burst of toasted barley reaches my nose first, followed by fruits similar to my fine single cask (okay, it's not MY cask, but gosh I wish it was): first kiwis and guavas, then citrons. Some lovely notes of roses, moss, ocean, and candied pecans pass through the background. A dunnage note leads the palate, followed by lots of sweetness via orange candy and National-Distillers-esque(!) butterscotch. It gains plenty of non-woody bitterness with time, as well as some caramel candy and chile heat. It finishes sweet and peppery, almost smoky, with some limes and caramel candy too.

DILUTED to 46%abv, or 1 tsp of water per 30mL whisky

The nose simplifies and focuses on kiwi, guava, candied pecans, and a bright mintiness. The creamy palate offers grapefruits, cherries, peach creamsicles, and a touch of barrel char. It finishes with maraschino cherries, limes, earth, and caramel candy.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Yes indeed, this is Chichibu for the American palate. It's almost like they mixed 10% great bourbon in with 90% classic 'Bu. And I like it. I don't think it's the distillery at its best, but all those fruits cannot be silenced, so it's still a powerful single malt. Though it's out of my price range, 8-10 year old Chichibu from a refill barrel sounds mighty fine right now. If I can source it, I will review it. But for now I take little issue with this American Chichibu.

Availability - Secondary market
Pricing - I'd rather not look
Rating - 88