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| Hello, that is one in every of our (nearly) day by day tastings. Santé! |
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October 25, 2024
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The final Japanese and slightly purple wine
The final for now, in fact. Some older classics quickly.
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Ichiro’s Malt & Grain ‘Pink Wine cask’ (59.8%, OB for Spirits of Salud, single mix, Château Gruaud Larose, 272 bottles, 2023) 
Seemingly a single mix given a double maturation in that purple wine barrique for 3.5 years. So, we’ve obtained a mixture of malt, grain, French oak and a splash of very younger Saint-Julien. Proper, right here we go, dangle tight… Color: apricot. Nostril: a contact of inexperienced pepper and sulphur at first, adopted by soot, burnt nuts, and a few darkish nougat. There’s potting soil and dried mint leaves in there too. With water: not a lot of curiosity for me, to be trustworthy. A bit like a drained barrel—in spite of everything, that’s what it’s. And let’s not overlook that these casks typically maintain very younger wines certainly, virtually undrinkable, since the most effective Bordeaux ages within the bottle after its time in oak. Mouth (neat): slightly odd. Bitter oranges, inexperienced peppers, allspice, and ginger. With water: a slight enchancment. Melted purple peppers, chocolate, aubergine, and black pepper. End: lengthy however a contact dissonant, with some cassis and overripe strawberries rising in the direction of the tip. Feedback: given how essential vintages are for Bordeaux wines, they actually ought to inform us which classic the cask did maintain. A type of very uncommon Chichibu (and co.) releases I really don’t look after, although the opposite two ‘Spirits of Salud’ editions had been completely, totally, completely splendid! (WF 90 and WF 91).
SGP:671 – 70 factors. |
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Chichibu 8 yo 2016/2024 ‘Bordeaux Pink Wine cask’ (65.5%, OB, LMDW Foundations, cask #14044, 268 bottles) 
Completed in Pauillac as a substitute of St Julien, however this one’s a single malt. Color: gold (thank goodness). Nostril: significantly better, no sulphur this time, with a touch of pine resin and, properly, basic Chichibu. There’s additionally a whiff of blood orange. With water: fairly nice, with notes of cake, cherry stalk natural tea, and puffs of peony, however no actual purple wine affect… Mouth (neat): not unhealthy in any respect, once more leaning in the direction of citrus and pink peppercorns, with a handful of cherries and a few black pepper. Nevertheless it’s (cough) very sturdy. With water: sure, fairly good certainly, with the return of these blood oranges and a contact of Szechuan pepper. End: slightly lengthy, with strawberries, pepper, and a touch of fir honey. Feedback: we had been on edge the entire time, however ultimately, it’s positively Chichibu.
SGP:661 – 83 factors. |
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We’ll see if the impression of European oak is de facto as vital as they are saying…
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Mars Tsunuki 4 yo 2020/2024 ‘Tsunuki ageing’ (60.3%, OB, LMDW Foundations, Spanish Virgin oak, cask #T1880, 283 bottles) 
Color: darkish purple copper. Nostril: properly, that is each uncommon and charming. We’ve obtained previous plum eau-de-vie (vieille prune), some superbly ripe wild strawberries, eucalyptus, thyme, a hearty dose of top-notch PX, a touch of marc de Bourgogne, and camphor… Can all of this actually come simply from contemporary Spanish oak? With water: wilder notes now, with morels, mosses, eucalyptus wooden, and caramel rising… Mouth (neat): oh, however that is glorious! I’m undecided what they’ve accomplished to that poor Spanish oak when it comes to toasting, nevertheless it’s labored wonders. There’s previous Demerara rum (assume mature Port Mourant), chocolate, extra of that previous plum, some super-strong Trappist ale, and toffee… With water: completely excellent, now with added tobacco, bay leaves, and blood orange. End: lengthy, with cracked pepper, coriander seeds, candy woodruff, and a touch of Belgian mandarin liqueur. Feedback: what a superb discovery! I’d have guessed a single malt from a tiny distillery in Washington state. In spite of everything, that’s not too far-off (we’ll chip in and get you an atlas, S.).
SGP:652 – 89 factors. |
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Mars Komagatake 5 yo 2018/2024 ‘Komagatake Growing older’ (62%, OB, LMDW Foundations, bourbon, cask #4295, 180 bottles) 
Color: mild gold. Nostril: macarons, biscuits, custard, nougat, apricot cake, and all types of melons. How might anybody object to that? With water: gummi bears and a bag of pear-flavoured sweets. A nostril that brings out the kid in us. There’s additionally a touch of contemporary plaster within the background. Mouth (neat): my phrase, that is glorious. Vanilla, mint, orange, varnish, kiwi, and white Meursault. And sure, I’ll say it once more, purple Meursaults do exist. With water: such intense fruitiness! Excellent use of the bourbon cask, although the lychees in syrup and ripe pear could come throughout as only a tad dominant. End: medium size, extra on citrus, with a contact of candied angelica on the finish. Feedback: I believe we’ve pulled issues again properly right here (feeling smug, S.?).
SGP:641 – 90 factors. |
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Final one. Subsequent Japanese station, not earlier than December. Until, no wait, a bag of previous Nikkas simply got here in, it’s going to be onerous to withstand…
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Shizuoka ‘Pot Nonetheless Okay Japanese Barley 2023 Version’ (55.5%, OB, 2023) 
Properly, I slightly doubt anybody would have the ability to inform the distinction between international barley and Japanese barley within the whisky. Hmm, certainly. Color: mild gold. Nostril: flour, contemporary bread, baker’s yeast, grapefruit, fougasse, crushed slate, and… yuzu. In fact, yuzu. With water: think about lemon juice and crushed chalk, labored along with a pestle. Attempt to image that. Mouth (neat): we love this rustic, farmyard type, so near the uncooked elements. Grapefruit seeds, grist, chalk, focaccia, lemon liqueur… With water: related, however a contact smoother, with slightly apple juice peeking via. End: pretty lengthy, with related flavours. A chalky and barely drying aftertaste. Feedback: it’s a reasonably simple malt, however all the pieces works collectively very properly. I discover it significantly better than the primary version we tasted in July final yr (WF 83), although Shizuoka has produced even grander expressions.
SGP:461 – 87 factors. |
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Properly, Mars slightly crushed the competitors right now, maybe as a result of absence of purple Bordeaux in it.
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