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| Hello, that is one in every of our (nearly) day by day tastings. Santé! |
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October 15, 2024
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The Prime Japanese, continued
Let’s keep it up tasting a couple of extra of the best newer Japanese whiskies…
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Kanosuke ‘Hioki Pot Nonetheless’ (51%, OB, Japan, 2024) 
Right here now we have a Japanese whisky with a little bit of an Irish aptitude. Now, that doesn’t imply they’ve gone and imported bulk whisky from Eire to mix with their native malt, however somewhat that they’ve embraced the ‘pure’ or ‘single’ pot nonetheless technique. This includes utilizing each malted and unmalted barley within the distillation – on this case, below vacuum (copper or stainless-steel?) – and that will make it a grain whisky based on the nice previous Scottish gospel. Color: gold. Nostril: there actually is a contact of Eire right here – very ripe apples, hints of rose petals, lychee, and a suggestion of recent copper (consider a brand-new chef’s pan), adopted by strawberry and cherry tart. There’s even a slight whiff of an excellent Provençal rosé. With a couple of drops of water: desserts galore – fraisier, financier, champagne-soaked ladyfingers… Mouth (neat): the wooden is extra outstanding on the palate, bringing cinnamon, apple peel, ginger, and hints of cedar wooden, with a refined contact of incense. There’s nonetheless loads of recent, unpasteurised apple juice as nicely. With water: we stay on comparable notes. A number of leafy touches – pear and cherry leaves, maybe? End: pretty lengthy, turning into extra herbaceous with even a slight contact of rubber. The aftertaste lingers with a little bit of rosé champagne. Feedback: I used to be maybe a bit extra charmed by the Kanosuke I attempted the opposite day (the Single Malt at 48%, WF 88), however this one continues to be very, superb.
SGP: 651 – 84 factors. |
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Kanosuke ‘Double Distillery’ (53%, OB, Japan, 2024) 
Nicely, right here now we have a mix of their Single Malt and the Hioki, basically a self-blend made completely from barley. Color: pale gold. Nostril: certainly, we’re again to the malted barley notes, with recent bread, oranges, peanut butter, yeast, and malt extract… With water: no main modifications, although now we’re getting a freshly baked baguette straight from the bakery. Mouth (neat): superb, with top-tier pepper, a contact of Riesling paying homage to what we discovered within the malt, some smoke, tart inexperienced apples, and pumpkin seeds… With water: the ‘Irish’ spirit returns barely, with cherries, white peaches, and even that beautiful rosé champagne once more. Shochu. And let’s be clear, we’re speaking a couple of rosé de saignée right here (skin-contact maceration), not the sort made by mixing white wine with a splash of purple. End: medium in size, very nicely balanced, fruity however not overly so. Cherries, a touch of kirsch, almonds… Feedback: this works extraordinarily nicely, in my humble opinion. All that’s lacking now could be an age assertion, no matter that is perhaps.
SGP: 562 – 88 factors. |
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Ichiro’s Malt & Grain World Mix ‘7 to 47 years Double Fantasy’ (56%, OB, Japan, 300 bottles, 2024) 
Adorned with a well-known photograph of John and Yoko by Kishin Shinoyama, this mix comes with fairly the story. In response to a really dependable supply who’s at all times sporting suspenders, it incorporates 48.5% 7-year-old Chichibu, 48.5% Scottish malts aged between 21 and 25 years, 1.5% 1976 Kawasaki grain, and 1.5% 1976 Benriach, with each of these final ones clocking in at 47 years previous. Color: gold. Nostril: if I’ve understood accurately, there’s just one.5% grain in right here, and you’ll inform. It’s a bit like a Danish pastry, with apricot and buttercream, a contact of cassata, very ripe apple, quince, and mirabelle plums, then loads of yeast and bitter cream. There’s even a enjoyable IPA + Chardonnay vibe happening… With water: oh, recent and dried white mulberries make an look. Mouth (neat): glorious, nearly all-malt, with a Chichibu that definitely doesn’t draw back, setting the tempo for the older whiskies. Citrusy stress, chalk, flour, recent bread, gooseberries… With water: quince and inexperienced apple come roaring again. End: lengthy, taut, exact. Chalk, apple, lemon. Feedback: I get the sensation the aim right here was to point out that even when blended with half of one thing else, a well-raised Chichibu nonetheless guidelines the roost.
SGP: 561 – 90 factors. |
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Ichiro’s Malt World Blended Malt ‘5 to 21 years Double Fantasy’ (48%, OB, Japan, 1,200 bottles, 2024)
Half Chichibu, aged between 5 and 11 years, and half Scottish malts starting from 5 to 21 years previous. The truth that Ichiro can pull off such feats with obvious nice success speaks volumes about his popularity. Think about doing one thing like this in Scotland—you’d be scattered to the 4 winds, nicely previous Hadrian’s Wall. Color: straw. Nostril: I can’t detect any dominant ‘Scottish malt’ pushing its approach by way of the Chichibu, however they possible didn’t choose malts with too robust a personality. Nicely performed. So, we get apple, peanut oil, lemon, recent bread, not-too-ripe banana, some elusive Japanese Chardonnay (good luck discovering that, but it surely’s great), white currants, sorrel, and rhubarb… I actually love this nostril, to be trustworthy. With water: pure barley, apple, chalk, bread. A contact of drawing gum, a touch of orgeat and putty. Mouth (neat): it’s a bit extra unsure on the palate, with a contact of sweet sugar and roasted barley on high of apple compote drizzled with lemon. One thing alongside these strains. With water: no, it turns into very good with a splash of Vittel (Nestlé, however the place’s the cheque?). End: lengthy, lemony, with apple, white wine, and rhubarb. Feedback: in whisky, typically much less is extra (S., not your best second there). Oh, and Double Fantasy was additionally the title of a John & Yoko album, their final earlier than the previous Beatle’s tragic assassination.
SGP: 561 – 90 factors. |
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These two Lennon-esque blends are actually distinctive and, in actual fact, are basically Chichibu, each philosophically and when it comes to style. Let’s proceed…
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Chichibu 7 yo 2016/2024 (64.5%, OB, LMDW Foundations, refill peaty barrels, cask #7076, 200 bottles)
Nicely, they’ve refilled a barrel that beforehand held peated Chichibu, and you’ll inform right away. Color: pale gold. Nostril: goodness me, peat actually does cling to any distillate like misfortune to the decrease clergy of Brittany. However right here, it stays splendidly assertive, including to the same old trio of chalk, apple, and barley with a correct dose of smoke and even a couple of maritime notes. With water: astonishing stuff. How a lot peated Chichibu was left in that cask? Fifty litres? The waves of beechwood-smoked salmon are completely exceptional. Mouth (neat): zzzzeooom! That’s the sound of a blade cleaving the standard taster clear in half, to the exact millimetre. Lemon peel, ashes, chalk, lemon once more, and cardamom. With water: nicely, the peat isn’t going wherever, however that’s hardly a criticism. Assume lemon within the fire. End: lengthy, pure, barely oily (pistachio oil) after which very lemony. The ash lingers on. Feedback: that is unmistakably a peated whisky. These blasted smoky molecules cling like limpets to a rock, however the result’s nothing in need of very good.
SGP:464 – 91 factors. |
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That is sufficient of the Chichibu for as we speak – however there will be loads extra quickly – it is time to transfer on to one thing else.
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Ontake 2021/2024 (57.7%, OB, for The Final Spirits by Rudder, Japan, Proprietor’s Cask, oloroso sherry butt, cask #174)
We’re again in acquainted territory close to Kanosuke, in Hioki. The primary version of Ontake was somewhat good, however alas, a bit too comfortable at 43% ABV (WF80). This one guarantees to be fairly totally different… Color: full gold, although not overly darkish. Nostril: I completely adore this chocolate, these raisins, the previous rancio, tar, aged walnuts, and that splendidly mature oloroso. A shocking sherry affect, with the malt naturally taking a again seat on this explosive setting. Arduous not to think about a couple of Yamazaki ‘Proprietor’s Cask’ ex-sherry bottlings. With water: good raisins, each luscious and earthy, an absolute delight. Mouth (neat): good heavens, that is bursting with oloroso, walnut liqueur, and raisins, as if each pore is oozing with these flavours. What a beast! With water: chocolate steps up boldly, joined by black tea and pipe tobacco, however these raisins nonetheless steer the ship and name the pictures. End: very lengthy, chocolaty, with a refined sulphurous observe that works splendidly right here. Assume millionaire shortbread and but extra raisins—the largest, blackest ones. Feedback: a sherry monster, and we do love a correct sherry monster, offered it’s actually monstrous, like this one. It’s additionally considerably paying homage to these early Glendronach full-sherry releases simply after the primary relaunching.
SGP:561 – 90 factors. |
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Since we’re with regards to sherry…
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Mars Tsunuki 4 yo 2020/2024 ‘Yakushima Ageing’ (58.2%, OB, Japan, LMDW Foundations, sherry hogshead, cask #2334, 241 bottles) 
A launch aged within the far south of Japan, and also you may say it’s a bit just like the French heading south too to age themselves. Proper. Mars/Shinshu could not make as a lot noise as another Japanese homes, however make no mistake, they’re top-tier, boasting two distilleries, together with Tsunuki, and three ageing websites, together with Yakushima. Color: amber. Nostril: we’re loving the glue, acetone, and overripe fruits, and isn’t that simply excellent. Chocolate too, which is equally welcome. An excellent earthy aspect, previous tobacco pouch, browned bananas, previous leather-based… With water: carries on in the identical vein however with much less of that varnish/glue observe. Mouth (neat): cocoa, honeydew, caramelised onion, prunes, a contact of bitter previous wine, then a resinous edge that’s a bit sharp. Black propolis. It’s wobbling a bit. With water: backflips and regains its steadiness! The raisins are exhausting at work now. End: lengthy, extra natural, with a touch of rubber and a contact of plum jam. Feedback: very, superb, I adore it, however maybe is it a tad younger, a bit wild, and will use a contact extra polish. It’s mentioned to age in a short time on Yakushima, however perhaps not fairly that quick.
SGP:651 – 85 factors. |
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