Highlander Inn Tokyo: Part 2, More Pours? More Pours.

Part 1 was on Monday.
Part 2 is today!

The stash, each shelf three or four bottles deep...

After I completed the Ben Nevis Quartet, Suzuki-san produced this single PX Puncheon of '04 GlenDronach and asked if I had tried it yet. Before I could complete the word no (or iie, if I attempted Japanese at that moment), he'd already poured me a good drop.

*!free pour!*
GlenDronach 12 year old 2004 - for BarShow 2016 - cask 5527, PX Puncheon, 58.6%abv

To my surprise there was a substantial combination of green herbs (in the palate) and baking spices (in the nose) balancing out the usual PX grape jam attack. I'm normally not a PX cask fan but this was a good drink with its sweetness at a moderate level.
Rating: B-/B (82-85)

---

Next, Suzuki-san produced this whisky that was selected by the Japanese owner of Highlander Inn Craigellachie (and, I think, Tokyo). It's a full strength batch of 36yo blended scotch whisky (though whiskybase says it's a blended malt).

BLOGGERSPLAIN:  Oishii means "delicious" in Japanese.

*!free pour!*
Oishii Wisukii 36 year old small batch blended whisky - 51.1%abv

Its nose is gorgeous. Gentle sherry notes merge with mild peat, along with moments of stone fruits and citrus fruits. The palate is lightly sweet with an earthy peatiness. Then a blast of grapefruit. Dried fruit, tobacco and grapefruit in the finish.

This is great, very complex and easily consumed, and only available at the two Highlander Inns. Oishii indeed.
Rating: B+/A- (89-91)

---

I was unable to purchase the most recent Springbank Local Barley, or should I say I was unamused at its $160+ American price. But... having spied Highlander Inn's bottle on the shelf, I knew it would be one of the final drinks of this visit. I'm thankful to say I received the bottle's inaugural pour.

Springbank 11 year old 2006 Local Barley (Bere) - 53.1%abv

Color - Amber
Nose - Medium peating and a mild float of oak. Notes of maple syrup and pecan rolls.
Palate - White fruits and white peaches on top. Mild peat in the middle. Richer here than on the nose, almost candied. Water brings out a fresh herbal bitterness.
Finish - Medicinal and sweet.

Commentary - There's no denying this is good, but it's missing the complexity, balance and (important!) sheer deliciousness of the 16yo Local Barley. I'd also take either of the Springbank Greens over it. So, if you were kicking yourself over not getting this bottle, stop kicking yourself. If you're now kicking yourself for getting this bottle, stop kicking yourself. It's still good!
Rating - B (85-86)

---

This bottle sat in front of me the whole time, so it was inevitably going to make its way into my glass. I've found Port Askaig 19 year old to be a real pleasure, so I was interested to see how this (SPOILER ALERT) Caol Ila spirit works within a sherry cask. (UPDATE: Or maybe not Caol Ila. See the comment section for more info.) Here's my final drink of the night:

Port Askaig 15 year old Sherry Cask - 45.8%abv

Color - Gold
Nose - The sherry is very mild here. Instead CI's beach, salty ocean and seaweed notes lead the way.
Palate - Caol Ila + melon + chocolate. Then mint and a subtle note of vanilla bean. Then a mild bitterness keeps things honest.
Finish - Mint, chocolate and a slight white fruit note, but mostly Caol Ila 12yo with more stamina.

Commentary - Another success from Port Askaig, mostly because the sherry steps out of the way to let the good stuff through. Though I prefer the 19yo, that one's price has gone up nearly 50% in the 3 years since I bought it. This 15yo's price hasn't changed much since its debut 2 years ago and retails about $30 cheaper than the 19.
Rating: B/B+ (86-88)

---

If you're looking for the sort of place that won't make you feel disrespectful for wearing short sleeves, if you're looking for a spot to listen to some Scottish music (and no I don't mean Frightened Rabbit, who aren't half bad though) while sipping on beer and whisky, if you're looking for a cozy place to explore some single casks, then I recommend spending a couple hours at Highlander Inn Tokyo. It's one small block north of the Nakanosakaue station, about 5 minute metro ride from Shinjuku. Toshiyuki Suzuki will likely be the man slinging the drinks, and he's very honest and knowledgable about the bottles on the shelf. Kei Kimura also provided great service to everyone at the bar, and he's the more internet savvy of the two, so hopefully he's reading this. Thank you, gentlemen.

No, this was neither the first nor last of my bar visits in Japan, but I knew it would be a joy to recall. Many more bar posts will follow in the coming weeks...

Highlander Inn Tokyo: Part 1, a brace of Ben Nevis

Things went mostly according to plan throughout last month's Japanese trip, which is someting I can't say holds true of many (or any?) of my previous international trips. On Night Three, I scheduled a trip to Nakano to attend a pair of bars. And attend a pair of Nakano bars I did.

But instead of taking the train out there, I walked it. The temperature had dipped just below 90ºF that day, and this was an opportunity to see a mile and a half of the city I'd otherwise miss. Having put in over ten miles on foot earlier in the day, I found this stroll much to my liking. Start in the dusklight, end at a pub in the streetlight.

Highlander Inn Tokyo is a casual homey place, which is a welcome surprise in a city full of shiny impersonal drinking establishments. Everyone at the Highlander seemed to know each other. Lots of laughter. Lots of beer. Lots of Scottish busker music on the stereo.

Though it's not the sort of place that has 1000 whiskies behind the bar, Highlander Inn's selection is very well curated. And is probably north of 200 bottles anyway. Speaking the international language of single malt at any Japanese whisky bar is a pleasure, but the staff spoke enough English that two hours of chat flew by quickly. Plus I was able to squeeze in a few mizu o kudasai and arigato gozaimasu without embarrassing myself too much, I think.

The beers on tap sounded pretty swell after a humid day, but I was there for the whisky.

Yes.

Asking a bartender for his supply of Ben Nevis is some genuine whisky hipster shit anywhere else in the world. But not in Japan. Thanks to Nikka's ownership, Ben Nevis has had plenty of presence in Japan for more than a decade. The desirable official 15 year old single casks used to be plentiful out there. The 10 year old is everywhere. Nikka's Pure Malt Black has long had some Nevis in it. And the country's indie companies have been bringing in single casks of it for some time.

So when I asked Suzuki-san (aka Toshi) for their Nevii, he quickly hauled out six indie single casks. He even recommended that I not select the oldest, most expensive one. Imagine a bartender doing that in The States! I selected three Benz and then was given a gratis pour of a fourth. (More bonus pours in part 2.)

Note: Because there was occasional cigarette smoke in the air, and because of all the socializing, my tasting experience wasn't precise enough to give exact scores, so I'm listing a rating range for all the stuff I tasted there.

---

THE BEN NEVISES

Ben Nevis 18 year old 1998 - The Whisky Agency and Three Rivers Tokyo - 50.9%abv

Color - Light amber
Nose - Oh funk, so much BN funk. A good way to start. Also loads of maltiness. Fresh apples and milk chocolate.
Palate - Roasted malt and toffee. Apricots. Almost stout-y. Lightly sweet and almost no oak.
Finish - Barley juice. Milk chocolate. IPA bitterness meets the sweets and fruits.

Commentary - Very crisp and well balanced. Perfect ABV too. I'm sure if I had a whole bottle I'd find more complexity in it, but it's a great drinker as is. That hypothetical bottle wouldn't last long.
Rating: B+ (87-89)

---

Ben Nevis 19 year old 1996 - The Auld Alliance and Three Rivers Tokyo - Sherry cask - 50.2%abv

Color - dark gold
Nose - Bigger cask action. Dried stone fruits, dill and honey. Teriyaki and seaweed. Some good cereal grain notes in the back.
Palate - Here the cask calms down a bit. Apricots, fresh and dried. A rumbling bitterness that reads more herbal than oak. Brown sugar and malt. Wonderful mouthfeel.
Finish - Vanilla toffee, apricots, and that IPA bitterness again.

Commentary - If you can't make it The Auld Alliance, then it's best to bring The Auld Alliance to you. Though, you have to fly to Asia first, I guess. This BN is louder and a little oakier than the previous, but the massive spirit keeps the cask in check. It's more of a thinker than the 1998 TWA, something to puzzle over in cooler seasons.
Rating: B/B+ (86-88)

---

*!free pour!*

Ben Nevis 19 year old 1996 - Three Rivers Tokyo, Dance series - cask 2, sherry hogshead, 50.1%abv

Nose - Farmy as a horse barn in the heat. Milk chocolate. Maple syrup.

Palate - Bye bye horse farms, hello peach, plum and apricot orchards. A wisp of sherry cask and a dribble of herbal liqueur.

Commentary - Sherry hogsheads usually run right over the spirits they hold, making many of them plenty rich but also quite similar. Not this time. Again the Ben Nevis spirit pirouettes atop the oak throughout the experience.

Rating: B+/A- (88-90)

---

Ben Nevis 19 year old 1996 - The Maltman for Shinanoya - cask 1673, sherry butt - 51.8%abv

Color - medium gold

Nose - Very toasty. Notes of fruity ceylon cinnamon, butterscotch, white fruits and stone fruits. Mmm, and an industrial greasy edge.

Palate - Peaches. Peach candy. Watermelon Jolly Ranchers. Oh but then there's tobacco and dark chocolate.

Finish - Here comes the herbal bitterness (gorgeous!) rounding out the fruity sweetness. A maltiness lingers in the back.

A Story - I was ready to buy this bottle blindly from the Shinanoya store in Shinjuku upon my arrival in the country. But two weeks before my trip, their site said they'd sold out. Arrrrrrgh! But also, whew, I'd save some money. Then I saw it at Highlander Inn. And I drank it.

A Story continues - I now own a bottle.

Commentary - See above Story. I didn't know what to expect from this whisky. Thought maybe it'd be a sherry bomb with Nevis flair. But it was so much better than that. The fruit, the chocolate, the bitterness, the grunge, all in balance. What a thing. Possibly the best Ben Nevis I've had.

Rating: A-/A (92-94)

---

Yes, there's a part 2! Maybe it'll be a little shorter. Maybe it'll include a Springbank. I mean, I had to pause this tale somewhere. To be continued on Wednesday.

Killing Whisky History: Ep. 2 - Ambassador Deluxe (bottled 1964-1976)

It's the first Friday of the month. That means Killing Whisky History returns!

Episode 2 digs into a one quart bottle of Ambassador Deluxe that I unearthed in San Pedro, CA a few years ago. It's all very thrilling, complete with a dramatic last minute correction right in the middle of the episode! I guarantee it's the best video about Ambassador Deluxe you will watch all day.

Click here for my burgeoning YouTube channel if you so desire!

Glenfarclas 105, 2016 bottling (NAS, 1 litre)

I used to love luv luff Glenfarclas 105, but when I bought a bottle last year I didn't luff it. The 2016 bottling seemed hotter, thinner, less rich and (redundant adjective) younger than previous versions. And I had a whole heaping litre of it. So I brought it to an event, wherein the attendees had never tried the 105, and the remainder of the bottle vanished without any complaints.

Just for kicks, here's the link to my first review of the 105, from more than 5.5 years ago. My how this mighty whisky has fallen.

Distillery: Glenfarclas
Ownership: J&G Grant
Region: Speyside (Central)
Age: NAS, no mention of age anywhere on the label
Maturation: ex-sherry casks
Bottling year: 2016
Alcohol by Volume: 60%
Chillfiltered? No
Colored? No
(Sample from my bottle, about 1/3 of the way down)

NEAT
The nose is very floral and sugary. A bit of an earthy note combines with cinnamon sticks. But that's it for a while. After a half hour, there's some brown sugar, mint syrup and dried cherries. The palate is massively hot and drying. Lots of raw edges. Bitter oak. Some nuts and vanilla. It finishes bitter and sharp. Drying and peppery. Some sour vinegar and metal.

WITH WATER (~46%abv)
The nose remains floral, but picks up some malty notes. Hints of cherry candy and soil. No more dried fruit. A bit of wet cardboard. The palate remains drying and bitter. But it's sweeter and maltier, and it picks up a wee smoke note. The finish is also sweeter, while being less bitter and sharp. Still a bit sour and drying. Less peppery.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
To be blunt, its palate and finish are pretty awful at full power. It's reminiscent of American craft whiskey, violently incomplete with loads of oak. The nose is pretty good though, once it's aired out. Diluting the whisky saves the whisky. Its sweetness and maltiness come out to play, adding some balance to all the raw notes.

But even with added water, this version of the 105 doesn't even remotely appeal to my palate. Then again, I've been a bit of a grump lately. I just watched Pixar's Inside Out and said "meh".

MAO reviewed a 2014 bottle of 105 and was unimpressed with that one, though he seemed to find more character to it. I sincerely hope future bottlings of 105 improve. In the meantime I'd go for Tomatin CS, Glendronach CS or A'bunadh far ahead of this one.

Availability - The litre bottles are available in Europe and Japan
Pricing - One litre: $30-$50 (Japan), $35-$55 (Europe, ex-VAT)
Rating - 79 (with water only, low 70s when neat)

Glenfarclas 15 year old, 2016 bottling

Before I bore or horrify you with my Japan whisky tales, I'll plop a couple more scheduled reviews in the blogwater. Both of these posts will be updates of reviews that were done some time ago, but this time the samples pulled from full bottles(!) that I'd utilized for recent whisky events. Two Glenfarcli, to go.

Today, it's a review of the 2016 bottling of Glen First Class, Blairfindy, Probably Speyside's Finest, Ballindalloch Glenfarclas 15 year old. It was almost unanimously the favorite at my most recent event, even though it was the second cheapest out of the six malts presented. And, for whatever it's worth, most of the people who attended the event were bigger fans of bourbon than scotch.

The 15 year old holds the distinction of being the only member of Glenfarclas's regular range that is bottled at 46%abv. Even the 30 year old is diluted to 43%. And though I haven't tried the 30, I've historically preferred the 15 over the 17, 18, 21 and 25. Either those three points and lack of filtration add a substantial richness to the whisky, or 15 years is the honey spot for 'Farclas. In any case, it is available in Europe and Asia, but not in the US of A.

I reviewed Glenfarclas 15yo more than 4.5 years ago. Jeebus. Things were different then. Anyhoo, let's see how it do.

Distillery: Glenfarclas
Ownership: J&G Grant
Region: Speyside (Central)
Age: minimum 15 years
Maturation: ex-sherry casks
Bottling year: 2016
Alcohol by Volume: 46%
Chillfiltered? No
Colored? No
(Sample from my bottle, pulled the day it was opened and finished at an event, last month)

NEAT
The color is a basic gold, lighter than my bad memory remembers the 15 to be. The nose starts with citrus, walnuts, shortbread and brine. Very little sherry cask action so far. Hints of peach and flowers. After a while in the glass, the whisky develops a solid sambuca-style anise note. Big on prunes and raisins in the palate. Yes, here are the sherry casks. Roasted coffee and caramel sauce. Those cheapie handheld apple pies that are sold alongside single-pack Twinkies. You know the ones. Toasted oak spices and black pepper in the back. It finishes with bitter coffee and prunes. Lightly salty and spicy, with that oakspice.

WITH WATER (~40%abv)
The nose is all McInotsh apples and raisins. While the palate gains some dark chocolate, sweet and sour berries, prune juice and a floral note. Still plenty of black pepper. It finishes with prunes, chocolate milk and a mild sweetness

WORDS WORDS WORDS
Though I'd be happy to recommend this whisky over all the Macallan products under 18 years of age, and many batches of the Mac 18, my enthusiasm about the Farclas Fifteen has dampened slightly. It's a good example of well-matured sherry cask whisky with a good presentation and a good price. I don't think one can get a better sherried whisky at the $50-$60 range. But...

...the thrill is gone. It's gone away. Maybe it's me. Maybe it's the whisky. In fact *gasp* I liked it better diluted to 40%abv. The chocolate part reveals itself there. Perhaps I should have paired the whisky with Nutella.

I'm kinda glad I didn't bring home a bottle of it from Japan. Whisky bottles violate the laws of physics, becoming remarkably heavy, once they enter one's luggage.

Availability - Everywhere except here
Pricing - $45-$65 (ex-VAT), hasn't changed in four years
Rating - 84

Bourbon and Rye Day Friday: Elijah Craig 18 year old 1991, barrel 3416

As recently as Feburary 2015, the average US retail price for Elijah Craig 18yo was listed as $58 on Winesearcher. As of June 2017, the average price is now $303. The 21yo sits at $463, and the 23yo is $507. It's fair to say that most bourbon fans will never get a chance to try any of these long-matured Elijah Craigs. One can blame the producers for raising the suggested retail price. One can blame retailers for marking up the bottles well above the SRP. One can in turn blame the secondary market for pushing the prices so high that producers and retailers are motivated to do their own price gouging in order to not miss out on revenue. Or one can be totally fascinated by the people who are quick to spend $300-$500 on these whiskies, and why they value them so highly.

I'm a big fan of the (formerly) 12 year old Small Batch from Elijah Craig, and their (formerly?) 12 year old Barrel Proof series might be my favorite bourbon on the market. But keep in mind, my palate may be different from yours. I usually find bourbons in the double-digit age range to be much too oaky, but the 12yo ECs were the most consistent exception. In any case, this palate preference is bound to save me some money.

I was lucky to have purchased this sample of the 18 year old before prices went bonkers.

Distiller: Heaven Hill
Brand: Elijah Craig
Region: Bardstown, Kentucky
Type: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distilled: March 28, 1991 at Old Bernheim Distillery
Age: minimum 18 years
Mashbill: 86% Corn, 6% Rye, 8% Malted Barley (maybe?)

Alcohol by Volume: 45%

NEAT
The nose is divine. Toffee pudding, almond extract and molasses. Vanilla bean, mint leaves and whipped cream. There's also a darker edge to it, consisting of saline, wood ash and a medicinal note. At first the palate is pretty forward. Vanilla, salt, furniture polish and strong peppery wood spices. With time, it becomes massively bitter. There's plenty of heat to it throughout, and there is a mild sweetness underneath keeping the whole thing from being ruined by the bitterness. Its finish is tannic as hell. There's also wood smoke, tart lemon candy and a woody bitterness that is slightly milder than the palate's.

WITH WATER (~41-42%abv)
The nose becomes milder. Caramel, vanilla bean, wood char and Rolos candies. Less bitterness on the palate, and still mildly sweet. Tart citrus, corn meal, a hint of salty seaweed and plenty of tannins. The finish is a little sweeter, less bitter. Still mouth-drying. Salty, with some barrel char. Plenty of length.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
If one doesn't add water, one can sniff this bourbon all night long. Just gorgeous stuff. That is one of the benefits of long maturation in a rich barrel. But on the other hand, unless you like oaky oak oakness, the palate is difficult. While it's less dreadful than the Orphan Barrels and 23yo Pappies, it's still a fight to dig through the bitterness and tannins. Adding a little bit of water helps correct this issue, slightly, but also mutes the nose's thrills.

While there's nothing I can say to keep people from spending $300+ on something like this, I will say that if whiskey was only for smelling then this bourbon would be a real treat. But whisky is for drinking. If you have no problem with drinking liquid oak, then you'll have no problem with EC18. If, like me, that is not your preference, then perhaps you'll want to skip it, unless you can find it for less than $100 (ha!). Still, if price wasn't an issue, I'd take it over the Orphan Barrels any day.

Availability - this particular barrel is probably sold out, other EC18s are available at a few dozen retailers around the world
Pricing - for EC18s in general: $300 average in US, $230 (ex-VAT) average in Europe
Rating - 83

Springbank and Kilkerran Distillery Visitors' 2016 Bottlings

My mind is still whirling after my two weeks in Japan, so it may be days, weeks, months or years before I post about that travel. But to keep with the tourist theme, I have unearthed the two distillery-only minis I picked up at the end of my previous international trip. One is a Springbank, the other a Kilkerran. There are no ages, no ABVs nor bottling codes on either. Due to their "Single Malt Scotch Whisky" labelling, all one can assume is they're each at least 3 years old and at least 40%abv. I'll be trying them side-by-side.

And that's all the deep thoughts my brain will allow right now. It's saying, Campbeltown drink now.

---

"Kilkerran Distillery Visitors 2016"

NEAT
Its color is clear, or at least 90% clear. The nose starts off with whole wheat bread and lots of salty butter. Fried coating, veggie peat, hot asphalt and a small note of pineapple. It picks up some more white fruit notes with time. The palate is loaded with chili oil, bitter and acidic notes. Some tapioca pudding, lots of barley, maybe some salted peanuts. Not very sweet. The finish has some moderate smoke, pepper and ethanol. A little more sweet and acidic, and some of the nose's butter notes.

WITH WATER
The nose has dried apricot, lime, butter and mossy peat. Somehow, there's more heat in the palate now. Still has the chili oil note. It's a little bitter with hints of flowers and toffee. But also burnt cardboard. It finishes bitter, mossy, and peppery. Metallic, like blood. Pencil lead and burnt cardboard.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
This is the first Kilkerran that elicited an "uch" from me. It's very young, reading even rawer than the first Work In Progress. The nose isn't bad, but the palate is DOA. Water brings out some genuinely crap notes in the finish. It's very clear why they did not release whatever this is to the wider public. On the other hand, maybe they should have blended it into a wider release 5+ years from now?

---

"Springbank Distillery Visitors 2016"

NEAT
It has an amber color. The nose has peach yogurt and more pineapple than the Kilkerran. A curious lack of peat. Hints of yeast and brown sugar. Metallic, like pennies. A solid lemongrass note throughout. The palate has mossy peat, marzipan and a hint of sweetness. Some ethyl. Salt and menthol. Prunes and roasted barley. The finish is a little medicinal. Plenty of dried fruits with prunes lingering the longest.

WITH WATER
The nose has peaches and limes, and suddenly a farmy note. Grapefruit. Roasted barley. The palate gets dirtier, peatier, saltier and bitterer. Some hard toffee, limes and prunes. The finish has a good bitter glow, wood smoke, salt and a hint of sweetness.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
In a different league than the Kilkerran, this Springbank seems to be from a refill sherry cask and is older than the legal minimum. It drinks well, has a reliable finish and probably weighs in at 46%abv or higher. I actually recommend drinking this one rather than leaving it on the shelf or whatever you wanna do with the Kilkerran. It's not super, but it's a nice whisky for essentially £0.

---

Kilkerran Distillery Visitors 2016
Availability - Only at the distillery
Pricing - came with a distillery tour in 2016
Rating - 71 (the nose is the only thing keeping it out of the 60s)

Springbank Distillery Visitors 2016
Availability - Only at the distillery
Pricing - came with a distillery tour in 2016
Rating - 83